Forfeit
by Scary Spikender
Summary: Four years later, and the Eds are still tortured and beaten on a daily basis. This time, however, they will finally try to find solutions to their problems, which grow worse by the day.
1. The Problems Begin Once Again

**Author's Note:**_ I hate doing these things, which is why I probably won't have very many of these notes in this story, but I guess that sometimes they're a necessary evil. I feel like they take the reader out of the story, but I digress. This story, at least early on, will have it's fair share of cussing, so if that puts you off, so be it. The stories rated M for later chapters, which may contain some "mature" situations, as well as more language. I've also written the second chapter already, but I'd like to see how people respond to the first chapter to decide whether or not I should post the second. Enjoy the first chapter and please leave a review if you like it, even more so if you hate it; criticism is very much welcome._

* * *

**Forfeit**

A twelve year old girl lay on her bed, the sunlight of the midday streaming in through an open window and illuminating the magazine she was reading. She kicked her legs back and forth as her eyes skirted down the lines of an article and then to the accompanying picture. She played with a strand of hair that was hanging by her cheek and then turned her head slightly to look at it. She kneaded the hair between her finger and thumb and thought about how badly she needed to brush it. _I guess I'll have to ask mom for a new brush... _Sarah thought to herself as she recalled the earlier incident that occurred between her and Ed. A small part of Sarah knew that she had gone too far this time, but the rest of her argued that what she did was justified; she, of course, agreed with that sentiment and decided to ignore the smaller, meek voice that mumbled something about being too hotheaded. She never admitted it to anyone else, mostly because everyone else already knew, but she knew she could fly off the handle at times. She knew that she could be cruel to others. She knew that she could be the biggest bitch around. She also knew that she liked being the biggest bitch around very much. She reveled in it. It was like a drug that she took to feed her addiction. It was a rush that she just couldn't shake.

Sarah hopped out of her bed and stretched. She let out a yawn, her big mouth stretching like a huge chasm ripping through the ground from an earthquake. She wandered lazily over to her dresser, where a big, oval mirror reflected her image. She looked herself over in the mirror as she continued to play with the strand of hair earlier, which refused to let her take her attention off of it. She wore the same clothes she used to wear four years ago, although in a bigger size due to her growth in height. She had also acquired some bust, although, compared to the other females she knew, it was like the Appalachians versus Mount Everest. She had cut her hair a little shorter recently, although now it was a total mess due to her lack of a brush. She had to have a new brush.

Sarah's attention was snatched away from her reflection and to her door when she heard a shuffling sound from the hallway. She removed herself from her post in front of her dresser and began to creep over to her door. She put her ear up to the hard, white wood of her door and listened intently. She heard someone shuffling down the hallway very slowly. She sighed. "Here we go..." she mumbled to herself before opening the door, letting the stale air of her room filter out into the hallway. She took a step out of her room and peered down the hallway. She saw a tall figure shuffling down the hallway. Sarah rubbed her chin as she thought about what she should do. She smiled. "Oh, Ed..." Sarah called out in her usual fake yet polite tone. The large figure stopped and his head slowly turned around. He peaked over his shoulder at her.

"Yes, baby sister?" asked the tall boy who looked intently at his younger sibling. He had a slight smile on his face.

"I just wanted to say something about earlier," Sarah started as she continued to wear the biggest and brightest smile she could muster. Ed waited patiently for Sarah to continue, now deciding to complete turn his person toward her. Sarah knew what Ed was hoping to hear, and that small part of her so badly wanted her to say it. That small part of her, as usual, was shut out as the bigger, more vocal, and far more cruel part of Sarah spoke up. "You know when I took my favorite and only brush and shoved it down your throat?" Sarah asked politely. Ed shook his head in acknowledgement. "Well... that was my only brush you big ape, and you're going to buy me another one!" Sarah yelled at the top of her lungs. The wind generated from her voice nearly knocked Ed off of his feet, which was no easy task. Ed's face returned to it's usual mopey expression.

"Yes, baby sister," Ed repeated pathetically, this time in surrender to Sarah's demands. He turned back around and shuffled slowly down the hallway and into the living area. Sarah stood there with her arms crossed, a large grin on her face as she waited to hear a certain sound. She heard the door open and then closed. She sighed in satisfaction, pleased with the result of her yelling. She had gotten what she wanted, once again, and it made her happy, once again. She no longer had to ask her mom for a new brush; Ed was going to use his own money to buy her a new one. She returned to her room, shutting the door behind her before flopping down on her bed and resuming where she left off in the magazine. Her hand returned to it's post at that damned strand of hair that kept dangling in front of her face. Her day had started off great, and she was looking forward to that new brush that Ed was going to buy, as she knew it was probably going to be of a higher quality than the one that she had wasted when she shoved it down Ed's gullet. Ed, after all, wanted to make sure that his sister was happy and content. That way, he would be left alone by his sibling tormentor. Sarah's smile faltered a bit. She thought about why she had gotten in the argument with Ed in the first place...

_Sarah sat at the kitchen table, enjoying a big bowl of chunky puffs that was filled to the brim of the bowl, almost spilling over the sides as she gorged herself on her milky and crunchy treat. Ed sat across from her, eying the bowl of chunky puffs that sat in front of him. He poked at some of the puff balls with his spoon, but hadn't taken a bit of his breakfast. Sarah stopped eating her cereal and looked up at him. He had the same depressed and dejected expression that had been plastered on his face for the past three months. Sarah gritted her teeth. She was tired of him moping around the house acting like a big cry baby. Sarah had asked him dozens of times why he was so sad and depressed, hoping that she had been the cause of his distress. Ed refused tell her, however; it didn't surprise her. No one knew why Ed was so damn depressed all the time because he denied anyone knowledge of the reasons behind his melancholy behavior._

_ Sarah heard from Jimmy that even Edd and Eddy, his two best friends, had been told off by Ed for daring to ask him about his condition. She had had enough of his behavior and his refusal to tell anyone why he was depressed. Her face had acquired a faint tinge of red as she examined the situation in her head. While she treated Ed horrendously, his behavior concerned her; after all, it was a lot more fun for Ed to be jovial so she could take away his happiness than for Ed to be in despair, since it refused her the pleasure of taking away anything from Ed; and she loved to take anything she could from her big, stupid brother. She slammed her fist on the kitchen table, causing the milk and chunky puffs in her bowl to fly over the edges of their ceramic prison and on to the table. Ed glanced up at her, a mixed expression of surprise and gloom on his face. "That's it, Ed, tell me why the hell you're so sad or I'll go downstairs and break another one of your stupid model rockets!"_

_Ed stared at her for a few moments, apparently gathering his thoughts in how to respond to Sarah's demand, as well as her threat. Ed sighed and stared at the black and white tiles of the kitchen floor. "Go ahead, Sarah. I have a million more model rockets anyway..." Ed answered somberly before going back to poking at his cereal. His eyes stayed locked on the floor. Sarah's face became blood red. She felt like steam was going to shoot out of her ears. She had been denied, once again, the knowledge of why Ed was depressed. She suddenly calmed down._

_"Fine. I'll be right back," Sarah told Ed before scooting her chair backwards and leaving the kitchen. She ran into her room, looking for something she could use to hurt Ed. She saw her lamp. "Naw, mom will be pissed if I break that over his head...again," Sarah mumbled to herself as she scanned her room for something else to use. She spotted her brush. She grabbed it off of her dressed and proceeded back to the kitchen. "I needed a new one anyway," she explained quietly to herself before walking into the kitchen. Ed was eating his cereal, spooning his breakfast slowly into his mouth, as if it was revolting to him. "Ed, if that cereal doesn't taste good, I have something else you can eat," Sarah said sweetly. Ed turned around, laying his spoon in his cereal bowl._

_"Really?" Ed asked as he looked at her hands. He saw the brush. "No thank you, Sarah, I already had my fiber today," Ed explained. Sarah rolled her eyes._

_"Well... I think you need some more!" she shouted before grabbing Ed by his head and stuffing the brush as deep as she could down Ed's massive esophagus. She withdrew her hand from his throat quickly, and Ed fell out of the chair as he choked on the brush. Sarah stared in disgust at the huge globs of saliva that hung from her arm. She ran over to the counter and grabbed a towel, quickly wiping the saliva away and throwing the towel on the kitchen counter. She turned back to Ed as he swallowed the brush, which now found a new home among the plethora of other things that Ed had swallowed in the last few weeks. "Serves you right, you dunderhead. I just want to know what's wrong so I can help you, but as usual, you have to act all stupid and make me mad," Sarah lamented before storming off to her room._

Sarah had stopped playing with the strand of hair that had previously been dangling in front of her eyes. She had stopped reading her magazine as well. She was staring at the yellow and pink flowered wallpaper of her room, still examining the entire situation in her head. She suddenly shrugged. "Whatever it is, he'll get over it," she said to herself, not wanting to think about it any further. She pushed herself up and sat on the edge of her bed. She tossed the magazine over at the end of her bed, where a large, messy pile of them had been formed. She stood up and left her room to go find the phone. She decided that she needed something to take her mind off of her stupid brother. She decided the best way to do that was to call her stupid friend.

* * *

Eddy leaned up against a fence in the lane, playing with a pair of quarters as he coveted them with his eyes. He rubbed them together using his thumb and index finger, enjoying the sound of the metal as the coins scraped against each other. He sighed in content before shoving the coins into his pocket. He smirked as he thought about how, only an hour earlier, he had managed to scam Kevin out of fifty cents by giving him a "condom", which Kevin claimed he needed very badly. Eddy, not having any on him at the time, found a pack of balloons in the closet in his parents room and had taken the most transparent balloon he could find, returned to Kevin, and successfully passed it off as a condom, which netted him fifty cents.

"What a sucker..." Eddy judged as he thought to himself about how he could get some more money. He, Ed, and Edd had lost their absolute lust for jawbreakers, which had slowly weaned off as the boys grew older. They instead kept whatever money they managed to bilge out of the other kids and saved or used if for other purposes. Scams, which, despite the loss of their tastes for jawbreakers, were still an everyday part of the Eds' lives, although they were more geared toward teenagers due to the fact that most everyone, save for Sarah and Jimmy, were now very close to being adults. Lee, the oldest person Eddy knew, was seventeen; Ed, Edd, himself, Rolf, Nazz, Kevin, and Marie were all sixteen. May and Jonny were fifteen and Jimmy and Sarah were twelve. Eddy had barely grown since he was twelve, having only gained about an inch in height; this ticked him off beyond belief, as all of his friends, unlike him, had grown taller, putting him at even more of a height disadvantage than before . His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he noticed the presence of another person.

"Good afternoon, Eddy," Edd greeted as he strolled over to Eddy.

"About damn time, Sockhead," Eddy responded sourly.

"Excuse me?" Edd asked incredulously.

"Don't play dumb, Double D. I called you almost four hours ago and told you to meet me at the lane! What, did you see some new telescope or something and just couldn't help yourself?" Eddy mocked.

"Very funny, Eddy. As you should know by now, I have many tasks that are assigned to me everyday, and I was simply completing them," Edd explained.

"Oh, so now a bunch of stupid chores are more important than making money?" Eddy inquired as he rubbed his index finger and thumb together.

"Yes," Edd remarked before grinning sheepishly. Eddy groaned loudly.

"Yeah, whatever... hey, where's Ed?" Eddy asked, noticing the third member of their group was missing. A look of concern suddenly washed over Edd's face.

"Oh dear, I thought he was with you," Edd remarked.

"What? When I called Ed this morning, he told me he was going to go over your house and leave with you..." Eddy related as his voice trailed off. Something was up.

"This isn't good... Eddy, I'm sure his absence has something to do with the sour mood he's had as of late," Edd reasoned.

"Yeah, Ed's been acting weird, I guess. It looks like he's always sad about something," Eddy responded.

"I just wish Ed would tell us what was troubling him; it's not even the fact that he's depressed that concerns me most. It's the fact that he won't tell us what's wrong," Edd began. "Usually Ed is relatively straight forward when it comes to any emotions he's experiencing, but this time is far different. He refused to explain what was depressing every time I decided to question him about it. It's just not like him to be so secretive about matters such as this. I can understand his being silent on the situation with Sarah or Kevin, but we're his best friends, for pete's sake. He should know by now that he can trust us," Edd finished. Eddy had an uninterested look on his face, much to Edd's disbelief. "Eddy, I can't believe you! Aren't you concerned about Ed's dire condition?"

"Look, I'm as concerned as the next guy about Ed, but you gotta learn that sometimes you just gotta tough out shit on your own," Eddy argued. "You can't go around babying the guy; you gotta let him have some space." When Eddy finished, Edd smiled.

"You're right, Eddy, and I don't say that very often. Perhaps it's best if I try to let Ed deal with this on his own. Still, I'll keep a look out on his condition; if he doesn't improve, then I'll have to do something about it," Edd explained.

"That's all great and stuff, sockhead, but how about we try getting to the part where we stop standing around having heart felt chats and start making some cash!" Eddy teased before motioning for Edd to follow him. Edd rolled his eyes before following Eddy down the lane.

"Very well then, Eddy. I suppose a nice scam would help keep my mind off of things. What scheme have you plotted for us to undertake today, Eddy?" Edd asked as he and Eddy walked down the lane side by side.

"I'm glad you asked, canyon gap. This scam has to be the most greatest, most insane, most smartest plan I've ever concocted!" Eddy exclaimed, clearly excited about what ever scam he had developed in his mind.

"I wish you'd concoct a better understanding of the English language..." Edd muttered to himself. "Well then, perhaps you should relate to me this clearly brilliant plan that you've designed."

"We'll get to that part, Double D. I just gotta find the perfect location for my scam..." Eddy responded as he scanned the lane for a good site.

"Well, the way you bragged about it just a few seconds ago, Eddy, I thought you were just dying to tell me your idea," Edd replied.

"Yeah, well I made a quick change of plans, Double D. I decided not to tell you, because when I do tell you my plan, you always have to point out flaws in it, even though all my plans are always foolproof," Eddy bragged as he finally stopped walking. His eyes lit up as he studied a spot between two dumpsters. "This spot is perfect..." Eddy mumbled.

"I don't think you even have to let me in on your plan, Eddy. I can already tell the total disaster this scam is going to be just by looking at the location you've selected," Edd retorted.

"Hey, this spot actually has some sentimental value!" Eddy came back before turning around and crossing his arms.

"Oh, really? In what way, Eddy?" Edd questioned.

"It looks like a scale model of your gap!" Eddy joked before laughing. Edd shot him an angry look, which only intensified Eddy's whooping laugh.

"Oh, you're right, Eddy. It does have sentimental value. It reminds me of the huge amount of space above your head!" Edd shot back before giggling. Eddy stopped laughing and gave a confused look at Edd.

"... uh... was that supposed to be a short joke or something?" Eddy asked as he scratched his head. "You really gotta work on your material, Double D," Eddy suggested before turning back to the space between the dumpsters, not noticing Edd rolling his eyes at him. "Enough joking around, though; we got suckers, who got money, and we got the ability to scam those suckers out of their money!" Eddy exclaimed. He entered the gap between the two dumpsters and began walking around in it, trying to figure out if this spot would work for his scam.

"Not that I want to question your brilliant idea, but I hope at the very least that you've planned ahead for any unforeseen events," Edd stated frankly. Eddy groaned and turned to Edd.

"Damn it, I knew you'd start nagging me about the details as soon as we got around to laying out my scam!" Eddy yelled angrily. "And what the hell do you mean by unforeseen events?" Eddy's entire demeanor suddenly changed to confusion when he saw Edd go bug eyed and point further down the lane.

"I mean _those _sort of unforeseen events!" Edd shrieked in fear, causing Eddy to whirl around and stare down the lane. Eddy's face filled with terror, disgust, and hate at what he saw. The Kanker sisters were strolling casually down the lane, laughing and guffawing as they went, and their course would lead them straight to where Edd and Eddy were planning to unleash Eddy's scam.

"Oh shit!" Eddy seethed, trying to keep his voice low. The Kankers hadn't spotted them yet, so Eddy knew that there was hope yet to escape their tormentors. "Quick, Double D, into the dumpster!" Eddy commanded as he lifted the lid on one of the dumpsters. Although Edd had an extreme aversion to anything or anyplace that was unsanitary or filthy, the absolute need to escape the Kankers at all costs always trumped the need for cleanliness. Edd bolted over to the dumpster and lifted himself up to the top before dropping inside; Eddy followed suit soon after before carefully shutting the lid on the dumpster. "Stay quiet and stop shaking, sockhead! I really don't want to have to deal with these Kanker bitches today," Eddy whispered, his voice stuttering and choking. Edd gave a silent acknowledgement in the form of a nod.

They heard the Kankers getting closer and closer to the dumpster where the two of them sat trembling and sweating. Eddy gulped. Although all of the kids in the Cul-De-Sac were now four years older, the relationships between them had changed very little, especially between the Eds and the rest of the kids. Eddy and Kevin still loathed each other, and, with the exception of times when Kevin might need to buy something from Eddy, rarely got along and almost never talked, although when they did talk it was usually to insult and berate each other. Since Ed and Edd hung out with Eddy, Kevin displayed the same hatred and revulsion toward them that he showed toward Eddy, although he could occasionally tolerate Edd in some situations. Sarah still mistreated and abused her brother, and she absolutely hated Eddy because she viewed him as a loud mouth, which Eddy found extremely ironic. Sarah had lost her crush on Edd, but wouldn't yell at him or abuse him unless he gave her reason to. The rest of the kids, namely Rolf, Nazz, Jonny, and Jimmy, could all tolerate the Eds, as long as they weren't in a scamming mood.

The relationship that was at the forefront of Eddy's mind, however, was the one between the Eds and the Kankers. Eddy always thought that it was funny, in a dark kind of way, that, while Kevin and Sarah had hated the Eds for a much longer time, since they had known them since they were really young, that the Kankers were the ones that the Eds hated and feared the most, despite only meeting them four years ago; but those four years felt like forty to the Eds, who lived in fear of the Kankers on a daily basis. Every day, Eddy knew that he could step outside his door and they could be waiting for him. He knew that he could go to make breakfast and they'd be lying in wait under the table or in a closet. Eddy even knew that he could wake up and one of the Kankers could be in bed with him, grinning as she waited for him to wake up so the "fun" could begin. It was a constant fear that permeated the Eds lives in everything they did. Whereas the other kids were usually reactionary, only harming or torturing the Eds if they deserved it, the Kankers would come without warning; the Eds always had to be on their toes, on the look out for any shadowing forms lurking around in the shadows or bushes, and always listening for the trademark giggles and laughs that the Eds had grown so accustomed to hearing that they started running by instinct when they heard them; and oh boy did they hear those laughs that caused the hairs on the backs of their necks to stand up as they cowered in the smelly dumpster.

"I can't wait to see the look on his face when he goes in his garage and sees nothing there!" Marie said before giggling like a maniac.

"Yeah, he'll probably start crying like a little baby when he sees it's gone," May added before guffawing.

"Serves him right for talking about us behind our backs. The next time he does it, I say we pay him a little visit when he's in the shower, eh girls?" Lee joked before the three of them burst out in a chorus of laughter.

"What the hell do you think they're talking about, Double D?" Eddy whispered as low as he could.

"I-I-I'm not s-s-sure, Eddy..." Edd stammered, his voice barely audible. He could barely find the ability to speak.

"When should we give it back to him?" May asked as the three sisters finished their round of laughter.

"No, May, the question is should we give it back to him?" Marie jested before grinning evilly.

"Aw, no need to be so cruel to the guy, Marie. We'll give his precious motorcycle back in a week," Lee began as the three of them stopped directly in front of the dumpster that Edd and Eddy were trembling in distress. "With some slight modifications, of course," Lee finished before the three of them started laughing again.

"I swear, they must have vocal chords of steel after all the laughing they do," Eddy whispered as the two of them continued to listen to the Kankers. "I think they're talking about Kevin and his motorcycle, though..." Eddy suggested. After Kevin had gotten old enough to drive and obtained his driver's license, he quickly took the exam to acquire a motorcycle license; he easily passed the test, and, as a reward, his parents bought him a brand-spanking new motorcycle, which was Kevin's new pride and joy, having tossed out his old bike as soon as he got the motorcycle. Eddy began snickering under his breath. Edd punched Eddy softly in the arm, and he quit it, catching the hint that the Kankers might hear his laughing and find them hiding in the dumpster.

"What should we do now, Lee?" May asked, looking for the eldest sister for guidance.

"Alright, May, keep your pants on. Here's the plan..." Lee began before the the three of them bunched up together and began whispering back and forth. Eddy gulped in fear; he was wondering if they were plotting to find him, Ed, and Edd next and do the "usual" to them.

"Damn it, I can't hear what they're saying..." Eddy muttered. He began to lift the dumpster lid slightly. Edd grabbed Eddy's hand tightly.

"What are you doing, Eddy? Stay down or they might find us..." Edd whispered frantically.

"Double D, what if they're talking about us? We need to know so we can try to avoid being out in the open," Eddy explained, causing Edd to release his iron grip on Eddy's arm. Edd sighed in defeat.

"Very well, but please don't make a noise or we're both going to be in hot water," Edd warned solemnly. Eddy nodded as he lifted the dumpster lid just enough to overhear what the Kankers were saying. He could see their hunched forms bent over as they plotted, and everyone in the Cul-De-Sac knew that when the Kankers plotted, it usually wasn't to go out and do something good. The Kankers, who were all aged a year apart, hadn't changed much in their behavior, although one could say that they had changed; they had become about ten times more cruel than they were four years ago when they first moved to Peach Creek. The three of them still wore the same sort of clothes as before, although they all filled them out much more nicely, all of them having sprouted some pretty plump breasts, thanks to their mother's genetics. That didn't really matter, at least to the Eds, as they still found them absolutely repulsive; no matter what the Kankers looked like physically, it was the emotional pain the Kankers brought them that drove them away running in fear and terror time and time again.

"... and, knowing them, they'll probably be setting up right about now, just in time for us to pay a visit," Lee whispered as May and Marie nodded.

"Should we split up to look for them?" May asked.

"Yeah, it'll be faster that way. And if one of you two find the Eds, you better not try to go in for the kill without me; I'll wring your neck so hard your eyes'll pop out," Lee threatened. The three of them broke the huddle and sped off in opposite directions. Eddy made sure the Kankers were well away from the lane before throwing the lid up and jumping down out of the dumpster, Edd following suit soon after.

"Shit, I knew it! Those bitches are looking for us!" Eddy exclaimed before slamming his fist into the side of the dumpster, causing Edd to wince. Edd cringed every time Eddy, or anyone else, for that matter, cussed, due to his moral upbringing; although all of the other kids in the Cul-De-Sac, including dopey Ed and preteen Sarah and Jimmy occasionally, had started swearing like sailors on a daily basis, finding it "hip" and "cool, Edd had refused to follow along with the fad, and, as a result, was constantly mocked by the others as a "goody-two-shoes" and a "momma's boy".

"Oh dear, I knew something like this was bound to happen today..." Edd mumbled fearfully as he began to rub his temples. Eddy began pacing back and forth in thought as he rubbed his chin. Edd watched Eddy pace as he continued to rub his temples, trying desperately to ward off the fear that was trying to freeze up his body and cloud his mind.

"Alright, well I guess we gotta put my scam on hold, at least until we know we're in the clear with the Kankers," Eddy stated. "And to do that, we're gonna need to lay low for a while..." Eddy continued. He suddenly stopped pacing and snapped his fingers. "I got it! We'll grab Ed, head over to Rolf's place, and stay there for a while! The Kankers will never look there for us!" Eddy proposed before looking at Edd, waiting impatiently for him to agree to his plan. Edd sighed.

"Well, I suppose you're right about me, Eddy; the first thing I'd like to do right now is point out all the holes and flaws in your plan... but I just don't have the patience for that right now. My brain tells me we need to think through a careful plan to escape the Kankers this time, but my heart, which feels like it's about to claw it's way out of my chest, tells me we need to get hidden and fast. So, whether I actually like our plan or not, I'll go along with it, Eddy," Edd submitted.

"Thank god for that, Double D. You saved me the trouble of having to shut you up and make you go with my plan anyway," Eddy teased before dashing down the lane and toward the Cul-De-Sac, Edd following him closely. Unfortunately for Edd and Eddy, they failed to spot a certain blue-haired Kanker peaking over a fence at them as they ran away, a huge, maniacal grin on her face. She hopped over the fence and down into the lane, pausing for a moment to watch her prey run away. She giggled quietly to herself before hustling down the lane in the opposite direction, hoping to find her sisters as soon as possible and report her findings.


	2. Safe Haven

**Author's Note:** _Okay, well due to the positive reviews I've gotten (rather quickly, too!) I decided to post up the second chapter, which I had already typed. Since I already typed up this chapter, I didn't really make any major renovations to it, but I will take the advice and suggestions I was given by two of the reviewers when I write future chapters: _

_**Oracle:** That's a very good point, and I find it very hard not to use the complicated wording; whenever I write, I want to make something sound more exciting, so I think of a "better" way to put it in my story. I didn't think about how it would reflect on whatever character I was focusing on at the time, so I think I will keep your advice in mind when I write the rest of the chapters._

_**Eddy Koopa:** Don't worry, I didn't forget about little ole' Edd: all the Eds will have their moment to show their disdain for the situation that they're in._

_In the mean time, enjoy the second chapter, and please review.  
_

* * *

"Where the hell is it?" shrieked Kevin as he stared at an empty spot in his garage. Kevin's garage used to be filled to the brim with jawbreakers, but, after Kevin and the other kids mostly outgrew them, his dad cleared it to make way for a minivan and Kevin's motorcycle. Kevin began to frantically run around his garage, searching the most inane places for his motorcycle, checking a tool rack, a tool box, and a large, wooden box for the pride and joy of his life. Kevin had gained a lot more muscle mass in the last four years, making him slightly larger and heavier than before. He had also grown a few inches taller; both of these traits together made him even more terrifying to the Eds when he got mad at them and decided to teach them a physical lesson about how unfair life can be. Despite Kevin's meticulous searching for his motorcycle, it was no where to be found. Kevin stood up in the middle of the garage, a nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Man, if my dad finds out my bike's gone..." Kevin muttered frightfully as he imagined the punishment that was awaiting Kevin if he didn't find his bike fast.

Kevin ran over to a button next to the garage door and pressed it, causing the garage door to automatically lift and let light from the outside stream in. Kevin stepped out into his driveway and scanned the Cul-De-Sac from his house. The motorcycle still refused to grace his needy eyes. Kevin stamped his foot in the ground in anger, his face beginning to turn a deep red. "Damn it, and just when my parents were beginning to trust me again!" Kevin screamed in fury, his mind almost going blank with rage. Kevin looked up when he heard foot steps, and quickly calmed himself down when he saw Nazz. All the boys in the Cul-De-Sac thought that when they got older, they might be able to hold an actual conversation with Nazz. Unfortunately for the boys, however, they didn't take into account the fact that Nazz would get older too, and a lot more attractive as well. Her womanly figure was what a few of the boys might call a work of art, and she induced every young man she talked to into a babbling puddle of idiocy as soon as they saw her. Kevin, however, was so focused on finding his bike that he didn't feel like turning into a gabbing idiot at the time.

"Hey, Kevin... are you alright, dude?" Nazz asked, having just witnessed Kevin's little hissy fit. Kevin sighed before rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry about that, Nazz. Look, I'm just a little pissed off because my motorcycle's missing..." Kevin explained, prompting Nazz to give an understanding nod.

"Oh, I didn't know it was missing... do you think someone took it?" Nazz asked as she stepped closer to Kevin, wanting to keep their conversation a little more private.

"I don't know. At first I thought my dad took it for a ride, which is fine with me since he payed for it, but then I saw the minivan missing and I remember him saying the he was gonna ride up to the grocery store with my mom to grab a few things," Kevin revealed. Nazz suddenly had a slight tinge of fear in her face.

"Look, Kevin... I'm sure you'll find it..." Nazz said as she slowly backed up. Kevin suddenly gave her a glare of suspicion.

"Nazz, if you know something about my motorcycle, you better tell me," Kevin flared as he stepped toward Nazz menacingly. Kevin usually treated Nazz like a queen, giving her respect and treating her like a gentlemen; but everyone knew that when it came to Kevin's motorcycle, even Nazz could catch some of his rage. Nazz bit her lip and continued to back up. Kevin's face suddenly filled with a realization of what she was trying to hide. "Oh no... oh hell no. I can't believe they would even think about stealing my bike! I'm gonna pound those dorks into dust!" Kevin yelled in rage before dashing off toward Eddy's house. Nazz's face filled with shock.

"Wait, Kevin, it's not the Eds!" Nazz yelled after Kevin, who couldn't hear her; Kevin's smoldering rage blocked all senses, only giving him the drive to find Ed, Edd, and Eddy and beat them mercilessly until they relented and gave him back his motorcycle. Kevin tore across Eddy's lawn and made for his backyard. He rounded the corner of his house so fast that he almost slipped on the grass, but he managed to catch himself. He hit Eddy's door so hard with his shoulder that it almost broke down in one blow. "Alright, dorky, come on out and tell me where it is!" Kevin yelled through the door as he pounded on it with his fist. "Eddy!" He yelled as he began to kick the door. Kevin backed up and waited for Eddy to come out, his fist raised in the air, ready to bring it down. Kevin waited for a whole minute for the target of his rage to step out and face him, but the door stayed shut, although it was in shambles after Kevin's punishing blows. Kevin gritted his teeth and his face returned to it's dark red coloring. "That's it, I'm coming in!" Kevin screamed before tackling the door, throwing all the muscle and weight he could muster into completely demolishing the door. Eddy's door flew into the opposite wall, sticking to it. Kevin gazed into Eddy's room, which was completely deserted. Kevin's heart was beating so fast that it sounded like a war drum to him; he knew he needed to calm down and think. He began to slowly scale back his breathing until it was relatively normal, and his heart rate slowly calmed down to that of a slow conga drum.

"Alright, gotta calm down..." Kevin whispered as he hit his chest a few times, trying to beat the rage out of himself. Kevin started to list all the places Eddy could possibly be in his head; the first two that popped into his mind were Eddy's two best friends' houses: Ed and Edd. Kevin was about to go rushing off when he stopped himself. He realized that the best way to go about looking for the Eds was to do it calmly and methodically so that they wouldn't suspect him of knowing about his missing bike and run off right when they spotted him. Kevin began to stroll calmly toward Edd's residence, hoping to catch the three of them vulnerable, if that's where they were.

* * *

Edd knocked softly at Ed's basement door before stepping back beside Eddy. The two of them had slipped inside the house, hoping to avoid bumping into Sarah, and were pleasantly surprised to find that she wasn't home. Edd and Eddy waited a few moments for Ed to answer, but he didn't answer the door. "Hmm, that's odd, I never saw Ed leave his house today, so he should be in there... perhaps we should go ahead in and see if he's okay," Edd suggested before stepping toward the door. Eddy grabbed him by the shoulder and stopped him.

"Woah there, Double D. I wouldn't want you to walk in on something you don't want to see..." Eddy said coyly as he grinned devilishly.

"What are you talking about?" Edd inquired, genuinely confused as to what Eddy was referring to.

"I sorta walked in on Ed goofing around with his rubber chicken a few weeks ago, if you know what I mean," Eddy whispered, barely suppressing a laugh. Edd's confused state remained for a few moments more as he let the information sink in.

"Goofing off with his rubber chicken... what does that- oh..." Edd trailed off as he realized what Eddy meant. "Oh dear... well, I'd rather not traumatize myself with that image, so perhaps it's best if I simply talk through his door to ascertain what he's doing in there doesn't involve anything of that sort." Edd cleared his throat. "Ed... Ed... are you in there, Ed?" Edd asked through Ed's door. Edd and Eddy heard nothing from behind the door. Edd turned to Eddy and shrugged. "Perhaps Ed accompanied Sarah, that might explain why he's not in his room."

"Yeah, I guess that could be why..." Eddy muttered. Something wasn't right, and Eddy could feel it in his gut. "Or..." Eddy began, his voice dropping to a whisper, causing Edd to lean forward in order to hear what Eddy was saying. "... Ed could be in there right now getting attacked by one of the Kankers," Eddy suggested, his voice suddenly going high with fear. Edd gulped, but then calmed down.

"I don't think so, Eddy. If one of the Kankers was in there, wouldn't she have burst out and nabbed us as soon as she heard me speaking through the door?" Edd proposed.

"I guess so... aw, to hell with it. Let's just go on in. If Ed's whacking off, so what, everyone does it," Eddy pointed out before marching over to Ed's door and reaching for the door knob. Before touching it, he turned to Edd. "Yes, even you, Double D," Eddy joked, causing Edd to shoot him an annoyed yet slightly guilty glare. Eddy grabbed the door knob and twisted it, letting the door click open before slowly opening it and peaking in. Eddy scanned Ed's dimly lit room. He spotted Ed's bathroom door, which was ajar, and could smell the tub of gravy he still kept in there from where he peaked in. He spotted Ed's chair, which was covered in filth and was torn in a few places. He then spotted Ed, who was sitting on his bed. Ed was staring at the ground, his face blank. Eddy swung the door all the way open, and then he and Edd walked in slowly, Edd now joining Eddy in staring at Ed, who didn't react to his friends' entrance.

"Ed... are you feeling well?" Edd asked as he walked ahead of Eddy, concerned about Ed's condition. Edd stopped at the edge of Ed's bed and sat down next to him, the bed making a disgusting squelch as it sunk down. Edd placed his hand on Ed's shoulder and looked at him. "Ed, did you hear me?" Edd asked, his concern growing rapidly. Eddy stood near the doorway, watching in silence as he tried to figure out what was going on with Ed in his head. Ed didn't respond to Edd; it was as if he didn't hear him. Eddy walked toward Ed and stopped in front of him.

"Hey, Ed, you don't have another pebble in your shoe, do you?" Eddy asked, fearful that he might punch Edd in the face if he kept on nagging him. Ed shook his head slowly, causing Eddy to let out a sigh of relief. "Then what's wrong? Is it your mom?" Ed shook his head slowly again. "Is it your dad?" Ed once again shook his head. Eddy sighed before asking his next question. "Let me guess- it's your sister, isn't it?" Ed didn't shake his head this time. Eddy sucked his teeth. "Oh come on, Ed, who cares about your stupid sister? I mean, you've put up with her for all these years and you pick _now_ to start being depressed about it?" Eddy yelled. Edd winced before standing up and stopping Eddy.

"Stop it. I know you have a habit of being blunt about everything, but this is obviously a delicate issue... I've never seen Ed this way. Even when he had that pebble in his shoe, he still responded to us, albeit in a much more brash and violent way," Edd explained in a hushed tone. Eddy groaned while rolling his eyes.

"Fine. Go at it, mister therapist," Eddy mocked before leaning against Ed's filthy wall. Edd turned back to Ed and knelt down to look him in the face. Ed looked away from Edd, obviously not wanting to look him directly in the face.

"Ed... did Sarah do something to you? Did she hurt you more than usual?" Edd asked, trying to gather information. Ed continued to avoid Edd's gaze. "Ed, I only want to help you with your problem, whatever it is. The only way I can help is if I know what's wrong," Edd explained, trying to pry open Ed's shell that he had formed. Ed's eyes suddenly began to well up with tears. He looked at Edd.

"Do... do you guys think Sarah hates me?" Ed asked. Edd looked over at Eddy, who was passively listening. Eddy rolled his eyes before standing up straight. Edd returned his gaze to Ed, who was on the verge of crying.

"Ed... I'm sure your sister loves you. She just doesn't show it in a very... pleasant manner," Edd reasoned, bringing Ed back from the brink of breaking down. Ed sniffled a little.

"Why is she always so mean to me? If she loved me, she wouldn't be so mean," Ed said, trying to dig for answers from his intelligent and understanding friend.

"Some people have a strange way of showing love," Edd began before standing up, helping Ed to his feet as he did so. "Take for example..." Edd sighed, knowing that the example that he was about to use was a little too apt. "... the Kanker sisters." At the mention of their name, Edd and Eddy couldn't help but remember the original purpose of their coming to Ed's house. "They say that they love us, but they constantly torture and berate us. I believe that's their way of expressing an emotion that they don't know how to express in a conventional manner," Edd explained. He noticed Ed's confused expression and sighed. "That means that the Kankers are mean to us because they don't know how to really show love." Ed nodded slowly, finally understanding what Edd meant. "And Sarah is the same way. She's mean to you because she doesn't know how to say that she loves you and cares about you."

"I think I get it," Ed admitted, grasping the gist of what Ed was saying, getting a smile of Edd, which, in turn, caused Ed to smile. "But... I just wish she would tell me once that she loved me..."

"Ed, one day, in the near future, Sarah will realize how much you matter to her and she will tell you. Just give her time," Edd answered. Ed quickly nodded and Edd playfully patted him on the head. Eddy walked over to Ed and Edd, his impatience getting the better of him.

"Seeing you two have this heart warming conversation was enlightening, but if we don't high tail our asses out of here and over to Rolf's then the Kankers will have another opportunity to show just how much they 'love' us," Eddy warned, Edd frowning in remembrance of the danger that they were in, and Ed suddenly donning a frightened expression.

"K-Kankers?" Ed asked, unaware of the fact that they were currently being hunted by their amorous foes.

"That's right, Ed. We saw those three pieces of trash over in the lane, and they were talking about hunting us down," Eddy explained, drawing a gulp from Ed.

"We gotta hide guys! Kankers are bad for Ed," Ed stated plainly, barely containing the instantaneous fear that appeared in all of the Eds whenever the threat of the Kankers loomed in the horizon.

"Yes, well now that you're feeling better, Ed, I'm sure you'll agree that we should head over to Rolf's to hide from our pursuers," Edd said, Ed nodding in agreement.

"Then what the hell are we standing around for! Let's get out of here before they bust in and nab us!" Eddy ordered, prompting the two Eds to follow him out of Ed's basement window.

* * *

Kevin knocked on Edd's door and waited patiently for Edd to answer. While he maintained a relatively calm outward appearance, on in the inside he was raging; he thought about how much he wanted to hurt the Eds in all manner of ways, although some of them were definitely illegal. Kevin mulled over how exactly he was going to approach Edd when he opened the door to see who was knocking. He thought about leaping in and punching him in the face before grabbing the other two Eds and doing the same to them. He thought about acting friendly and having Edd let him in, and then leaping on the Eds and punching them in their faces. Then he thought about acting friendly and having Edd let him in, telling the Eds that he was going to give them some free cash, having Eddy freak out and beg for the cash, and then leaping on them and punching them in their faces. All of them seemed like plausible plans, but it seemed like Kevin wouldn't have a chance to put any of them into action; it had been a full minute and no one had answered the door. Kevin's patience was wearing thin. "That little dork..." Kevin muttered, trying to release his anger that was building up. Kevin was about to bust down Edd's door when he heard the voice of one of the people he was hunting down.

"Come on you idiots, they might see us if we stay out here!" Eddy yelled to Ed and Edd, who were trailing behind. The Eds ran across the Cul-De-Sac and up to Rolf's door; Rolf's house was right next to Edd's house, but the Eds paid no mind to Kevin, who was glaring at them angrily from Edd's porch. He smiled evilly.

"Here I was wasting time looking for these dorks when the whole time they were just going to come to me. Go figure," Kevin fumed to himself, both angry and pleased that he had finally located the Eds, who were going to inevitably receive a pounding from the enraged jock. Eddy frantically pounded on Rolf's door. The Eds looked around them as they waited for Rolf to answer, scared that the Kankers might sneak up on them while they were waiting for their safe haven to become available to them. The door swung open behind them, causing them to whirl around; Rolf stood in the door way.

"Hello, Ed-boys. What can Rolf do for you on this fine day?" Rolf asked kindly, a hearty smile on his face. Rolf had always been as nice and welcoming as possible to the Eds, despite their constant shenanigans that caused him heartache on almost a daily basis; although this time the kindness seemed a bit forced. Rolf was the tallest person in the Cul-De-Sac, surpassing even Ed height. He had thick muscles, which had been honed from his constant toil in and around his house. He was hairier than ever, although he kept his face shaven and his hair was groomed in the same style as it had always been.

"Good to see you too, Stretch... listen, we gotta ask a favor of you," Eddy began as he nervously scanned Rolf's yard for any sign of the Kankers.

"Stop right there, shorter-than-a-footstool Ed-boy. Rolf has not forgotten the constant destruction of Rolf's property by the good-for-nothing Ed-boys," Rolf explained, his kind demeanor changing almost instantaneously to one of brooding anger. "Rolf demands to know what the Eds plan to do for Rolf in return for your safe haven."

"Alright... well..." Eddy began. "Hey... wait a minute. How did you know we wanted to hide in your house?" Eddy asked, growing suspicious of Rolf.

"Rolf could tell you that he has some secret way of knowing from the old country," Rolf began as he looked over the three Eds, who all had expressions of fear on their faces. "But Rolf would be lying. Rolf could tell by the fear on your faces that you needed to stow away in Rolf's house." After his explanation, Rolf waited patiently for a response to his earlier demand. Eddy sighed.

"Okay, look, we're desperate here, Rolf! I ain't got nothing to give you in return, but we need to get hidden fast! Those damn Kankers are after us again, and we don't have any other place to go! Please, you gotta let us in!" Eddy begged, literally getting on his hands and knees. Eddy knew how desperately he and his friends needed to escape the Kankers; almost every time the Kankers decided to pay their "boyfriends" a visit, the Eds ended up getting caught by the Kankers, no matter how fast they ran or how well they hid themselves. Eddy wasn't beneath begging Rolf for help, especially not in a desperate time like this. Rolf looked down at the pleading Eddy. He could see the desperation in his face, as well as in the faces of Ed and Edd. Rolf sighed, sliding his hand down his cheek as he did so.

"Very well then. You and your cowardly friends may stay in Rolf's house," Rolf relented, causing the Eds to jump to their feet and attempt to rush inside; Rolf caught them by their collars and stopped them, however. "On one condition, too-eager-for-your-own-good Ed-boys. You must promise to remain on Rolf's couch while you stay, or Rolf will make you spend your time here with Victor in his pen. And Victor is in a sour mood today..." Rolf warned. The Eds nodded slowly, prompting Rolf to release them. "Then welcome to Rolf's humble home. Enjoy your stay." The Eds made their way over to Rolf's couch, where they plopped down, relieved that they had finally found a safe place to hide from the Kankers.

"Thanks, Rolf. You're a real pal," Eddy said as he relaxed on Rolf's couch.

"I'm parched. Do you have any gravy, Rolf?" Ed asked as he rubbed his dry throat, drawing a confused look from Rolf.

"No gravy, Ed-boy, but Rolf does have milk freshly extracted from the udder of his cow," Rolf offered. The Ed's all exchanged glances of disgust.

"Water please," the Eds said in unison.

"Very well, but you do not know the refreshing taste that you will be missing," Rolf said before wandering off into his kitchen. The Eds previous state of fear faded from their faces.

"See, Double D? I told you my plans were foolproof," Eddy bragged.

"I'll admit, Eddy, this was a very good idea. I feared Rolf may not let us hide here, especially since the Kankers were searching for us, but perhaps I misjudged Rolf's character," Edd professed.

"Rolf's couch is so comfy," Ed cooed as he sunk lower into Rolf's couch. The Eds were so busy chatting that they did not hear Rolf's dire situation in the next room. Rolf stood in his kitchen, a mixed expression of guilt and terror on his face. He stood trembling before the Kanker sisters, who lounged casually in his kitchen. May dug around in his fridge, looking for a bite to eat. Marie leaned against the counter as she examined her nails, which were painted a blood red. Lee stood next to Marie, her arms crossed as she watched Rolf tremble in fear, sweat glistening on his brow and dripping down his neck.

"Rolf has fooled the Ed-boys into thinking they are safe, Kanker-girls..." Rolf whispered, his voice choking up. While the Eds definitely experienced the worst the Kankers had to offer on a daily basis, the other kids were not safe from their bullying; Rolf had been attacked and tortured by the three sisters on several occasions, and he intended to avoid such punishment at all costs. Rolf stared at the Kankers, waiting for a response to his submission to their wishes. May pulled a jar of pickles out of Rolf's fridge and pried it open. She began devouring his pickles, much to his displeasure. Marie looked up from her nails and stared at Rolf, drawing his gaze to her. She winked at him, causing him to gulp. Lee grinned evily.

"Good work, farm boy. Now step aside and let us take it from here," she stated, Rolf nodding nervously before slowly retreating into his hallway and into his room. Lee glanced over at May, who was still going at Rolf's pickles like a maniac. "Okay, May, stop stuffing your fat ass and let's get our hubbies before they realize what's going on," Lee ordered, May turning red in fury.

"Hey, I'm not fat!" May seethed as she threw the pickle jar down in anger. Marie scrambled for it and caught it before it hit the ground. She set the pickle jar on the counter before hitting May square in the face, giving her a black eye.

"Calm down, May, you're gonna give us away!" Marie complained in a quiet tone. May rubbed her eye before nodding, still pissed about Lee's insult.

"Fine... getting some loving from Ed will make me feel better," May whispered before smiling.

"Don't worry about that, May. We're all gonna get some Ed loving today" Lee whispered sadistically. Lee silently motioned for May and Marie to follow her to the living room, where Ed, Edd, and Eddy all sat chatting on Rolf's couch, the fact that the Kanker's were moments away from pouncing on them unknown to them. Ed started digging around between the couch cushions, causing Edd to freak out.

"Ed, what are you doing? If Rolf sees you I assure you he will not be in a the most pleasant of moods!" Edd exclaimed frantically.

"I just wanna see if Rolf has any food, Double D," Ed explained as he continued to search Rolf's couch.

"You don't keep food in your furniture, lug head," Eddy explained in a humorous tone. "You keep it in your fridge."

"Speaking of which, I believe Rolf was retrieving some water for us..." Edd recalled.

"Yeah, I wonder what's taking him... maybe Victor wanted some cow milk?" Eddy joked, causing Ed and him to let out a hearty round of laughing. Edd just rolled his eyes at his two friends inane sense of humor. Ed stopped laughing suddenly and froze, causing Edd and Eddy to look at him.

"Whats wrong, Ed, your brain stopped working again?" Eddy teased before giggling.

"Eddy, that's not funny, he might- oh my..." Edd stuttered, interrupting himself when he spotted the objects of Ed's interest.

"What?" Eddy asked, genuinely confused. Ed and Edd slowly pointed behind Eddy, expressions of extreme horror on their faces.

"Unforeseen events..." Edd mumbled, thinking of what he called them earlier. Eddy's face sunk as he slowly turned around, hoping that it was just Rolf naked and not what he thought it was. He was wrong. The Kankers stood grinning next to the door to Rolf's hallway; they had been watching the three Eds in silence as they talked, simply standing there and grinning their all too familiar grins as they waited for the Eds to notice their presence. Eddy couldn't think of what to say, so he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Oh fuck me," Eddy muttered. Edd normally would've winced at such vulgar language from Eddy, but he actually felt like muttering the same thing.

"Well, since you asked so nicely..." Lee mused as she shot Eddy a lustful and sadistic grin. Eddy shrieked in fear, prompting Ed and Edd to do the same.

"RUN AWAY!" Ed yelled, grabbing Edd and Eddy by the arms as he desperately tried to propel himself toward Rolf's front door. Unfortunately, May jumped in the way , obstructing their only escape route. Ed reversed his course and ran straight into Rolf's wall, where the Eds crumpled in a pile. They quickly bolted into sitting positions and wrapped their arms around each other, trying their best scrunch up as far away from the Kankers as possible. They knew it did no good; they all knew they were royally screwed.

"Aw, look at them in their little group hug. You boys don't mind if we join in, do you?" Marie teased as the Kankers slowly walked toward the Eds, each step causing them to shake and tremble more violently. Eddy could tell that the Kankers enjoyed this part, perhaps even more than the final pay off of their hunt; they loved to see him and his friends cower in a corner as they slowly encircled them like sharks circling a wounded seal. They lusted for the fear in the Eds' faces, the draining of color in their expressions as they realized there was no escape, no place to hide, and no place to run. He knew that the Kankers literally fed off of the fear that the Eds displayed, often quite spectacularly, whenever they appeared, as well as right before they went in for the kill. But Eddy knew he had to try something. He knew there must be some way out of it. He knew there was no way to muscle their way out of it; the Kankers were renowned for their prowess at fighting, something the Eds had experienced first hand on many occasions. So he thought that he could maybe talk his way out of it; he had tried it many times before; he, Ed, and Edd had literally begged the Kankers not to touch them, offering them money, favors, and all manner of other things in return for the promise that they could be let free unmolested. But it seemed like the Kankers would not relent for any sort of offering. The Eds used to be able to pay them a bribe, in the form of cash, to stay away from them, but that soon changed; the Kankers no longer settled for money. All they did now was get what they really wanted out of the Eds and then leave them lying there, crying and feeling completely violated. But Eddy knew he had to try, if not for his sake, then for the sake of Ed and Edd.

"Wait, please, stop!" Eddy protested, rising a little from his position between Ed and Edd, who looked at Eddy, startled; lately, they had just silently, but fearfully, let the Kankers do whatever they wanted, fearful that if they tried to say something or fight back that they might do something much worse to them, so it surprised them that Eddy would be bold enough to speak out. The Kankers stopped at Eddy's command, but Eddy knew it was just for show; the Kankers loved it when the Eds tried to desperately weasel their way out, and they wanted to hear Eddy beg for mercy.

"Oh, why should we?," Lee asked as the three waited for Eddy's inevitable plead for leniency. Eddy sighed as he looked from each Kanker to the next. They all had that damned sly smile that he despised so much; it was as if they were eternally up to no good, and enjoying every second of it.

"I just want to know..." Eddy began, desperately trying to think of some way to stall their fate, which he knew was coming no matter what they did; but he knew he had to delay it, hoping for some kind of miracle to save them. "Why?" Eddy asked simply. He knew he had done something right when he saw all three of them taken aback by his question; it was obvious that they hadn't expected a question from him; they were expecting something more along the lines of Eddy begging them to stop and leave them alone. Eddy's temporary sense of progress was suddenly lost when Lee's grin returned.

"Because we want to," she retorted, causing Eddy to almost explode with fake anger.

"What? Because you want to?" Eddy yelled; he didn't know where he was going with this, but he was hoping that he could maybe strike some kind of conversation to distract the Kankers from their original goal. "What kind of dumb ass reason is that?"

"Come on, shorty, take it like a man," Marie began, stepping toward Eddy, causing him to shrink back; she was sick of his stalling. "Stop whining and take your licks."

"Don't worry, Marie, I got just the thing to shut him up," Lee added before advancing toward Eddy and pulling out the object which the Eds dreaded seeing: a tube of lipstick. Eddy scrambled back into his original position between Ed and Edd, knowing his plan had failed. As the Kankers slowly surrounded the Eds, Edd couldn't help but question Eddy's odd behavior.

"What was the point of that, Eddy?" Edd mumbled.

"I just wanted to try something, Double D... but I failed... and now we're gonna suffer for it," Eddy said, his voice becoming faint as each of the Kankers reached for their respective Eds.

"NOT SO FAST!" yelled a voice from behind the Kankers, causing them to whirl around to see who dared to stop them from claiming their prize. They didn't have any time to react; Rolf leaped on them and tried his best to wrestle them to the ground, although it was clear he was fighting a losing battle. Rolf wrapped his thick arms around the Kankers and threw all his weight and muscle toward the ground, where they fell in a big pile; Rolf still didn't let go, and that definitely wasn't sitting well with the Kankers.

"Get the hell offa me, you bastard!" May yelled as she tried to rip Rolf's arm off of her.

"We're gonna kick your ass, you inbred bitch!" Marie screamed in fury as she began beating Rolf over the head with her fist, trying desperately to get Rolf to release them.

"Come on girls, let's teach him what happens when you cross a Kanker!" Lee commanded before the three of them unleashed a torrent of kicks and punches on Rolf, who tried his best to absorb the blows.

"RUN, ED-BOYS! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" Rolf shrieked as pain shot through his body, every second more painful than the last. He didn't have to tell them twice; the Eds sprung up from their position by the wall and bounded for the door. Eddy quickly grabbed the door knob and turned it, but before they could rush out, a big, nasty, angry obstacle blocked their path to freedom: Kevin.

"Alright, Dorks, I'm gonna beat your asses until you start bleeding!" Kevin screamed before lifting his fist in the air.

"Oh shit!" Eddy hollered as Kevin swung his fist at Eddy, who was the closest to him. "Duck!" Eddy commanded as he crouched, Ed and Edd following suit. Kevin's swing missed, but before he could make a second attempt, he spotted something much more dangerous running toward him.

"Kankers!" Kevin screamed before May, Marie, and Lee dived for the Eds, who quickly rolled out the way, causing the Kankers to crash into Kevin.

"Run!" Edd yelled, hoping to take advantage of their attackers' current state. The three of them jumped over the crumpled pile of Kevin, May, Marie, and Lee, and quickly surged off of Rolf's property and off into the neighborhood, hoping to lose Kevin and the Kankers in the maze of houses. Kevin tried to scramble to his feet to chase them, but the force from all three Kankers crashing into him had severely impaired his ability to run, so he started to stumble across Rolf's lawn.

"Come back here you dor-" Before Kevin could finish, he was clothes lined by May, who was the first Kanker off of her feet. Kevin fell to the ground, knocked unconscious by the blow to the head.

"Stupid jock," May muttered as she glared in anger at Kevin as he laid on the ground.

"Get the hell off me, Marie!" Lee yelled before shoving Marie off of her and standing up. She scanned the Cul-De-Sac for any sign of the Eds, but they were long gone, their fear of both the Kankers and Kevin giving them inhuman speed. Marie quickly scrambled to her feet and joined Lee in scanning the Cul-De-Sac. May turned away from Kevin and looked over at her sisters, who both had expressions of rage on their faces.

"Damn they're fast..." Marie commented under her breath, unable to locate the Eds.

"They got away, Lee!" May whined before stamping her foot on the grass. "We were so close!"

"Don't worry about it, May. We'll get them, but when we catch them this time, let's make sure we let them know not to run from us again," Lee seethed, angry that their moment with the Eds had been ruined by Rolf. Marie and May grinned knowingly, thinking about what they were going to do to the Eds when they caught them again. "But in the mean time..." Lee began, a coy smile playing across her lips. "Let's have a little fun with these two..." Lee suggested, pointing to Kevin and Rolf, both of whom were out cold; the other two Kankers nodded, their former vigor and lust returning instantly. May quickly scooped up the limp Kevin off the lawn and began dragging him toward Rolf's porch, Marie running over to help her carry him up the steps and into the house. Lee closed the door behind them, making sure no one in the Cul-De-Sac was watching before shutting it all the way. Silence returned to the Cul-De-Sac, save for a few sadistic giggles that could be heard from within Rolf's house.


	3. Hot Rods for Hot Heads

**Author's Note: **_Okay, well here's chapter three, which I had finished a few days ago but was editing for quite some time to get it just to my liking. Thank you for your reviews so far, they are well appreciated and help me keep on writing this story, since I know people actually like it and want to see more. Neo H.B.B. Sam suggested that I go ahead and mention that this is pretty much an AU fic, since it is in a timeline where BPS never happened and the kids all still have the same relations with each other. Now that that's out of the way, read and enjoy chapter three!_

* * *

Everything was flying by at what seemed like mach speed to Eddy. Fences blurred by. Houses seemed to appear and then disappear in an instant. Lawns and sidewalks passed by in a meld of colors. It no longer felt like he was running; it felt like the world was spinning at ten times it's normal speed. All he could hear was the beating of his feet against pavement, his heavy breathing, and his heart, which was beating against his ribs so hard he thought they would crack. He suddenly heard a fourth sound: Edd calling out to him and pleading with him to stop running; and that he did. He slowly started to decrease his speed, the world once again returning to normal speed. He stopped by a fence and bent over, sweat blurring his vision and running down his entire body. He had never run so fast or so hard in his entire life, and that was saying a lot: all Eddy had done for most of his life was run, whether it be from Kevin, Sarah, or another one of the kids from the neighborhood. Eddy began to suck in air and expel it rapidly, trying to slow down his body, which was still screaming at him to keep on running. He began to cool down, and his heart began to go back to it's normal rhythm. He turned around and faced Ed and Edd, who were both panting and sweating just as badly, if not more, as he was. As Eddy continued to catch his breath, his mind began to race. The first thing that came to his mind was what they were going to do now. "Eddy..." Edd wheezed as he pulled at his collar. "I can't believe we actually... well, I'm not going to speak too soon..." Edd said, stopping himself just in case this moment wasn't to last.

"We three are free at last!" Ed yelled in happiness before grabbing Edd and Eddy by the necks.

"Ed, please! Don't celebrate so quickly..." Edd mumbled before gasping for air.

"Well we me wants to get free!" Eddy seethed before punching Ed in the gut, which caused Ed to release Edd and Eddy, who promptly fell onto the sidewalk. Eddy sat up and took a moment to examine his surroundings. They had run so far and so fast that they had ended up much deeper into the neighborhood; they were on a street Eddy had only been down a few times, and he had only an inkling of an idea of how to get back to the Cul-De-Sac. Eddy turned to Edd, who was busy dusting himself off and mumbling something about Eddy being violent. "Alright, celebration or not we got away from the Kankers, and let's make sure we stay away from them. I say we head into town and hang out until it gets dark. They'll probably give up the hunt if they can't find us by night," Eddy suggested.

"Not a bad plan, Eddy... I have to say, today is getting more than a little strange... I just complemented you on a good idea twice in a row," Edd commented as he pondered the weird situation in his head.

"We could go to the new comic store that just opened!" Ed proposed, his face lighting up. "They have a whole bunch of new issues of- MMPH!"

"No, too obvious..." Eddy began as he shoved his hand in Ed's mouth before he could go on about comics. "We should hide in that grocery store. Who would think that three cool guys like us would hide out in a boring ass place like that?" Eddy reasoned. Edd rolled his eyes.

"I wouldn't call the grocery store boring, Eddy. It has a myriad of different food types that are very interesting to browse, and..." Edd trailed off when he saw the ticked off expression Eddy had plastered on his face. "Oh... well I suppose I should stop rambling on before you shove your hand in my mouth as well..."

"You got that right," Eddy said before finally pulling his hand out of Ed's mouth.

"... and that's why we should hide at the comic store!" Ed finished, proud of his plan.

"Nope, we're hiding at the grocery store and that's final, monobrow!" Eddy stated before pulling Ed by his sleeve toward the town, Edd close behind.

* * *

A can flew down the lane as a boy kicked it as hard as he could. He whistled as he did so, skipping down the lane and kicking it every time he reached it. He had a white tee on, a pair of rolled up jeans, and a pair of sandals. He was bald and about five feet and seven inches tall. He also had a rather peculiar item in his hand: a piece of wood with a painted on face. The kid continued to kick the can down the lane, paying no mind to the black shadow that crept up behind him. "Hey, Plank, do you think we should go to the-" the boy was cut off from finishing his sentence by a rough hand that grabbed his shoulder. He spun around and whacked the grabber across the face with Plank. Kevin stumbled backwards and flew into a couple of trashcans, their contents spilling all over the lane. "Oh crap... Kevin, I'm sorry!" the boy said before rushing over to look Kevin over. "Holy... what happened to you?" the boy asked, staring at Kevin's face. Kevin slowly pushed himself off of the ground, disoriented from the blow to the face. His vision slowly returned to normal, and he saw the bald boy standing it front of him.

"Jonny..." Kevin began, trying to steady himself. It was obvious that Kevin was weak, and it wasn't just from the blow to the face. "Shit man... those damn Kankers had me and Rolf in that house for hours..." Kevin mumbled before placing his hand on one of the fences that lined the lane.

"Oh... that blows..." Jonny said as his eyes darted left and right, searching for Kevin's attackers.

"Don't worry about them, Jonny... they left the Cul-De-Sac after they were done with us..." Kevin said, relieving Jonny of his fear. Kevin tried to wipe away the lipstick all over his face, but it was no use. "Damn those dorks, it's all their fault that those Kankers got me and Rolf... when I find them..." Kevin mumbled to himself before looking around the lane, trying to see if the Eds had decided to take refuge behind some trash cans or in a dumpster.

"Plank wants to know who you're looking for," Jonny said before pointing at his wooden friend. Kevin sighed and looked at the board.

"Uh... I'm looking for the dor- I mean, the Eds. Have you seen them?" Kevin asked. The kids, including Kevin, had never really gotten what was up with Jonny and Plank, but usually just played along with Jonny's imagination; and at this point, Kevin was willing to play along to get the information he wanted. Jonny put his ear up to Planks mouth, and stood there a few moments before turning Plank back to Kevin.

"Plank says he saw them go into town," Jonny relayed, much to Kevin's delight.

"Really... well thanks, little wooden-dude. Catch me later and maybe we'll hang together," Kevin said.

"Really? We can hang together?" Jonny asked, not believing that Kevin would actually want to hang out with him.

"Ha, not you, globe-head, I was talking to Plank!" Kevin teased before running off toward the town, leaving Jonny alone once again.

"Who needs him, right buddy?" Jonny scoffed as he looked at Plank. He suddenly gasped. "What? What do ya mean you'd rather hang out with Kevin? That's it, we're going home, mister!" Jonny yelled before stomping off back toward the Cul-De-Sac.

"Those dorks are so toast..." Kevin seethed to himself as he rocketed down the lane. He had been keeping a scorecard in his head: the Eds had stolen his bike, and that warranted a beating. The Eds had also led Kevin right to the Kankers, and he had to endure them instead of the Eds; that warranted a second beating. The Eds also ran from him, which warranted yet another beating. All Kevin could think about was punching and hitting the Eds until they begged for mercy; they had made today hell for him, and was going to make sure that it was hell for them too. When he finally reached the town, he slowed to a walk. He knew that Jonny was usually reliable when it came to information; although he usually claimed that "Plank sees things", Kevin usually figured that Jonny was just a weirdo who watched people. But even weirdos have their uses to Kevin, especially when it came to finding the Eds and dispensing justice.

Kevin stopped at the Candy store, wondering in his head whether or not they'd choose it as a hiding place. "Nah... too obvious... if I know Eddy, then..." Kevin mumbled to himself. His gaze turned to a grocery store, which was situated next to a new comic store that had just opened. "Bingo. A dorky place made for dorks to hang out in," Kevin said coolly before strolling over to the store. He peered into one of the large glass windows in the front of the store and looked around. He could see a check out counter, some aisles of canned goods, pasta, bread, and sodas. He perked up when he saw someone with a green jacket turn the corner of one of the aisles; although he didn't get a good look at the person, he knew only one person with a jacket like that. "Ed," he mumbled before advancing to the entrance of the grocery store.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Edd whispered frantically as he watched Eddy slip a two liter of soda under Ed's shirt.

"Shut the hell up, Double D! You're gonna get us caught!" Eddy berated before kicking Edd in the shin, causing Edd to grip his leg in pain.

"You'll be safe with Ed's belly!" Ed said as he held the soda carefully under his shirt.

"Eddy, this is illegal! You could get arrested for this!" Edd said, desperately trying to grab the soda from under Ed's shirt and return it to the shelf where it belonged. The Eds were at the very end of the grocery store, hiding behind aisle eleven, which had potato chips and sodas in it.

"Come on, can't you try to be cool for once, sockhead!" Eddy complained as he smacked Edd's hands away from Ed's shirt. "Besides... you'll get arrested too for being an accomplice if we get caught. You wouldn't want something like that on your record, would ya?" Eddy warned, a big grin on his face; he knew he had the upper hand.

"Oh... darn you, Eddy. You know I can't sit by idly and watch you drag Ed along with your clearly illegal plan!" Edd scolded at an uncaring Eddy.

"What a party-pooper!" Ed commented as he gave a dopey smile at Edd.

"See, even Ed's with the program!" Eddy reasoned as scooted Ed down the aisle. "And if you can just keep that big mouth of yours shut, Double D, we can score some free soda! And maybe some chips, too..." Eddy said before stalking down the aisle, Ed in tow.

"Don't you dare, Eddy!" Edd yelled after Eddy, trying to stop the short thief from pillaging anymore goods from the store.

"Good lord, it's like I'm at the store with my mom!" Eddy mocked before grabbing a few small bags of chips and stuffing them down his pants. Edd could barely hold back a scream of terror; he couldn't believe he was being dragged into stealing from a store with his two friends. Eddy could barely contain a laugh as he watched Edd squirm. "Aw, come on, Double D! Look at the bright side: look how big my package is!" Eddy joked before pointing down at his pants; there was a huge bulge where he had stuffed all the chips into his pants. Ed and Eddy burst into a fit of laughter while Edd had to hold his hands over his mouth to keep himself from crying to the world about the crime he was witnessing.

"Oh dear, now I know why you two always have so much food whenever you come over my house!" Edd exclaimed as realization washed over him. "Oh my god... I had stolen goods in my house! I'm a criminal!" Edd lamented as he fell to the floor; he was on the verge of fainting. Ed waltzed over to Edd's limp body, grabbed him by the arms, and hoisted him to his feet.

"Up and at 'em, Double D! We have more shopping to do!" Ed said cheerfully before grabbing Edd by the wrist and dragging him down the aisle.

"Please, let me go, Ed! I have to vacate the store before I vomit! I just can't take this wanton law-breaking!" Edd admitted hysterically as he tried to claw free of Ed's grip, which was like the claw of a machine clamping down on Edd's forearm.

"Life's like a toilet, Double D: Vomit wherever you want, and someone else will flush it away!" Ed said nonsensically as he joined Eddy near a rack of cream puffs, where Eddy was busy stuffing them into his pockets.

"Alright, Ed, looks like I we have a full load! I guess we should scoot before the manager sees us... hey! We could go hide out in that comic store you were babbling on about earlier!" Eddy suggested, wanting to leave the store as soon as possible to avoid being caught.

"Yay! Let's go now, Eddy!" Ed cheered, barely able to contain his excitement. Eddy led Ed toward the front of the store, Edd unwillingly being dragged along.

"Right this way, gentlemen, and we'll be on our way to eating our snacks and drinking our so... da..." Eddy said faintly as he and Ed slowed to a stop. Kevin stood at the end of the aisle, his face covered in kiss marks and his clothing in tatters. Kevin turned his cap backwards and spit on the floor of the store. Ed let go of Edd, who quickly stood up and hid behind the lovable oaf. The three of them began to back up as Kevin slowly advanced down the aisle. Kevin's face was slowly turning red, almost matching the red of the lipstick on his face.

"You dorks... think you can get away from stealing from me... and then you leave me with those Kankers..." Kevin rambled, barely able to contain his anger. Eddy gulped.

"Come on, Kev! You know we wouldn't steal from you man! And we had to run from the Kankers... they were... uh... Kevin?" Eddy mumbled, noticing that Kevin was paying no mind to his pleading.

"I don't care about your damn excuses, Eddy! You and the two dorkettes are gonna get the pounding of a lifetime!" Kevin shrieked before jetting down the aisle, fist raised and ready to be brought down upon the Eds.

"Scatter!" Eddy screamed, prompting the three of the them to run in different directions. Edd quickly ran down the aisle away from Kevin, while Ed plowed right through the shelf, sodas and chips flying every which way, dropping the soda from under his shirt as he did so. Eddy ran and slid under Kevin's legs, crushing the chips in his pants and causing Kevin to reverse course and chase after the shortest Ed.

"I don't think so, Eddy!" Kevin yelled before grabbing Eddy by his hair and slamming him into the floor of the store. Kevin stood over the defenseless Eddy, a huge sneer on his face. "Tell me where the hell my motorcycle is or I'll knock your teeth out!" Kevin commanded to a cowering Eddy. Eddy suddenly stopped shaking.

"Motorcycle?" Eddy asked, realizing that Kevin had the wrong trio of thieves.

"Don't play dumb, flathead! I know you and your two dweeb friends stole it! Now give it back!" Kevin yelled angrily, his patience wearing thin.

"Wait, Kevin, we didn't steal it! It was the Kankers!" Eddy explained, trying to redirect the jock's anger from them to the real culprits.

"Kankers?" Kevin asked in confusion. "But... Nazz said that..."

"Kevin, I heard the Kankers laughing about stealing your motorcycle in the lane!" Eddy said before sitting up, feeling more confident that he wasn't going to receive a pounding from Kevin. Kevin let go of Eddy's hair and took a step backwards.

"Shit..." Kevin said before relaxing. Ed and Edd, who were peaking around the corner of the aisle, quickly made their way to Eddy's side. Kevin looked at the Eds and sighed. "Damn... well I'm sorry, I guess I just figured it was you three who did it..." Kevin admitted before rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, well it wasn't us this time. If you want your damn bike so bad, go see the Kankers about it!" Eddy yelled; he was royally pissed that Kevin's hotheaded pursuit of them was all because of nothing. Kevin nodded slowly before pushing his way through the Eds and toward the entrance of the store. The Eds all sighed in unison, relieved that they had managed to avoid punishment yet again.

"Well, I'm glad that was cleared up. I was wondering in the back of my mind why Kevin could possibly have been angry with us this time," Edd admitted as he looked at his two comrades.

"I hope Kevin finds his bike, they make a great couple! Meow!" Ed purred before laughing, Eddy joining in soon after.

"Who cares, Double D! Serves him right for being a douche and assuming it was us!" Eddy commented as he laughed. He then led Ed and Edd toward the entrance to the store, hoping to scram before their luck changed. Edd suddenly stopped Eddy and quickly reached into his pockets and snatched the cream puffs out of them. "Hey, those are mine!" Eddy protested, trying to snatch the snacks back.

"I don't think so, Eddy! These cream-filled treats are not yours, they are the property of this fine establishment!" Edd scolded before placing the treats neatly on a nearby shelf. Eddy groaned something about Edd being a nag before opening the entrance to the store and leading Ed and Edd outside.

"Well, at least our luck is changing, eh boys?" Eddy proclaimed before bumping into someone. "Hey, watch where you're-" Eddy stopped, realizing it was Kevin, who had a smug smile on his face.

"Kevin?" Edd said, wondering what he was still doing at the store.

"What now, shovel chin?" Eddy yelled.

"Oh, nothing... I was just thinking about what happened earlier, and I just realized: you guys didn't steal my bike, but you did leave me and Rolf with the Kankers," Kevin commented as he gave them an evil glare. The Eds started to back up in fear.

"Come on, Kevin! Haven't you ever heard of 'Forgive and Forget'?" Eddy asked, hoping to squirm his way out of the situation.

"Don't worry, Eddy, I ain't gonna pound you guys..." Kevin relented.

"Well, that's a relief..." Eddy sighed. "Then what do you want?"

"I decided instead of beating your asses for leaving me with those rapists-in-training, I'd just make you three go get my bike instead," Kevin said, a sly grin on his face. The Eds' faces almost caved in at Kevin's statement. The Eds just sat there, their faces full of fear and anxiety as they stared at the grinning Kevin. Edd cleared his throat.

"Well... Kevin, I have much homework to do for school and I-" Edd began before getting cut off by Kevin.

"Do you think I'm a fucking idiot? It's summer vacation!" Kevin screamed, causing Edd to flinch at his language. "You dorks are gonna go and get my bike from the Kankers, or I'll force you to get it back from them! I'm fine either way!"

"Can't you just beat our asses and call it a day?" Eddy asked; he could barely believe that he was begging Kevin to kick his ass, but he was willingly to take anything Kevin had to dish out to avoid getting involved with the Kankers again.

"I ain't gonna let you three take the easy way out! I know you guys would rather me shove my foot a meter up your asses than have to face the Kankers. And, truth is, I don't want to face them myself!" Kevin yelled, causing the Eds to shrink back further. "That's where you three come in: think of yourselves as an unwilling middleman." Edd looked at Ed and Eddy, who were shaking so bad they could barely speak. Edd sighed and looked back at Kevin.

"Fine... we'll do it," Edd said solemnly.

* * *

Four figures lurked behind some bushes at the edge of the trailer park. It was eight o' clock at night, and the sun was slowly sinking behind the horizon, darkness slowly sneaking through the trees and metallic husks of the trailers and taking over Peach Creek. Ed, Edd, Eddy, and Kevin all ducked behind the bushes, which were situated directly behind the Kanker's trailer. The trailer park was usually deserted at all times of day, save for the Kankers; Eddy liked to think that nobody ever came out of their trailers because of them, and it made sense. Eddy knew that if he lived in the trailer park, he'd never set foot outside out of fear of the three sadistic girls. The lights in the Kanker's trailer were on, and the small group of young men could hear the faint sounds of May, Marie, and Lee laughing and talking inside.

The Eds were trembling in fear; they hated to be anywhere near the trailer park, and they knew that, before this night was out, they'd have to sneak into the trailer park, find Kevin's motorcycle, and make off with it without being heard or seen by the Kankers. Although Kevin wasn't showing it physically, inside he was almost as scared as the Eds; the Kankers had inflicted on Rolf and Kevin what they usually saved for the Eds, and that terrified him. He now knew what would happen to him and the other male members of the Cul-De-Sac should the Eds all take a vacation or move away. "Alright, dorks, you gotta sneak in there and find my motorcycle," Kevin whispered, startling the Eds, who were on the verge of a complete meltdown.

"I can't move..." Eddy admitted quietly, unable to force movement out of his body; he was completely frozen with fear.

"Well you better move, or I'll make sure the Kankers know you're here!" Kevin threatened.

"You wouldn't do that... would you?" Edd asked in disbelieve.

"Oh, I would Double Dweeb," Kevin reiterated before pointing at the trailer park. "Now move your asses and find my bike."

"We're on it!" Ed said fearfully before grabbing Edd and Eddy and dragging them out of the bushes and into the trailer park. He stomped loudly across the Kanker's backyard, causing Edd and Eddy to almost burst out in screams of terror.

"Damn it, Ed, stop making so much noise or they'll hear you!" Eddy protested, trying to break free of Ed's grip.

"Good lord, Ed, please stop for a moment and let us free!" Edd suggested, prompting Ed to drop them on the hard dirt of the trailer park. Edd and Eddy quickly bolted to standing positions next to Ed and joined him in staring at the Kanker's trailer.

"You don't think they heard us, do you Double D?" Eddy asked fearfully.

"I don't believe so... we should search around their trailer as quickly as possible and try to locate Kevin's motorcycle. The sooner we find it, the sooner we can leave this ungodly place," Edd explained. Ed, Edd, and Eddy split up and began snooping around the trailer for any sign of Kevin's bike. Kevin watched from the bushes, silently praying that the Eds found it quickly so that the risk of the Kankers finding them out was minimal. Ed began searching around the back of their trailer, but he didn't see Kevin's bike anywhere. Eddy searched the sides of the trailer, but, other than a few old wrappers and soda cans, he found no sign of the motorcycle. Edd circled around to the front of the trailer, and, lo and behold, there sat Kevin's motorcyle; it was leaning up against the Kanker's trailer, and didn't appear to be chained up or anything. "That's odd... one would think that they'd be fearful that he'd steal it back... then again, I suppose with the universal fear of the Kankers, only a brash fool would attempt to steal the motorcycle..." Edd reasoned to himself, the irony of his own statement not lost on him.

Edd ducked and began to slowly work his way across the front of the Kanker's trailer, trying his best to remain silent. The sun had went down behind the horizon, leaving much of the trailer park in darkness: Edd could barely make out the blurry shape of the motorcycle, but he continued to inch toward it, trying his best to remain completely silent. Edd was closing in on the bike, which was now only about an arm's length away from him. He reached out to grab it, but instead felt denim in his hand. "What in the name of..." Edd trailed off. He had no idea what he had grabbed. It certainly wasn't the motorcycle; he had expected to feel either the rubber of the wheel or smooth, cool metal under his hand. Instead he had grabbed what felt like the leg of a pair of jeans. Edd's heart almost stopped. The world seemed to freeze around him as he vision adjusted to the dark. He had grabbed someone's pant leg. He gulped. He slowly looked up. He saw a tall, dark figure standing over him. He saw the lit end of a cigarette protruding out of the figure's mouth. He saw the figure take the cigarette out of her mouth and flash him a toothy smile of off-color teeth.

"Hey, Double D," Marie Kanker said casually as she stared down at him. Edd's throat made the motion of screaming, but nothing came out. All he could do was stare up at her, the same stupid, dumbstruck expression on his face. Marie's gaze went from him to the motorcycle, and then back to him. She bent down and looked him right in the face. He felt her stale breath, which smelt of cigarette smoke, hit his face. She flicked the cigarette out into the darkness and then laid her hand on his shoulder. "Did you come all this way to see me?" Marie asked before taking her other hand rubbing his chin slowly. "Or did you come for that rusty piece of junk?" Marie asked as she motioned her head behind her and toward Kevin's motorcycle. Edd gulped. He had no idea what to say or do. If he screamed, May and Lee would undoubtedly come barging out of the trailer, and if there was one thing Edd feared more than one Kanker, it was all three of them. If he remained silent, Ed and Eddy might unwittingly stumble upon them and scream, still bringing out May and Lee and bringing Ed and Eddy into danger as well. Edd was at a loss of what to do. Marie grinned at Edd, who just sat there looking at her, a guilty, fearful expression on his face. "What's wrong, Double D? Didn't expect to see me out here?" Marie asked.

"No," Edd choked out.

"Well I expected to see you, muffin. I could feel it inside of me," Marie said seductively as she forced Edd's face closer to her. She brought her lips to his ear; he could feel her hot breath running down his neck and on his ear. "You know what else I want inside of me?" Marie asked, causing Edd to lock up further in fear. He didn't like where this was going, and he wanted to run as fast and far away as possible, but his body refused to move. It was as if Marie had frozen him in a block of ice and was holding him there against his will.

"Please... let me just take the bike," Edd pleaded. Marie took her head from Edd's ear and returned to staring into his eyes.

"You know I can't do that," Marie stated as she continued to lock eyes with Edd. "Unless of course... you do something for me in return." Marie said breathlessly before licking her dry lips. Edd's heart was racing fast and he could feel all the blood in his body heating up and pumping at full speed through his blood vessels. He hoped that this was all part of Marie's act and she wasn't actually being serious with him. The Kankers had always tortured the Eds with kisses and hugs, even the occasional footsie, but the way Marie was acting he could tell that she wanted more than that. And that scared the hell out of him.

"Then just let me go... just forget you saw me..." Edd said faintly. He felt like the world was a blur around him. He felt like he was going to pass out from fear, but then he knew he couldn't do that either; he didn't want to know what Marie would do with him if he was out cold. Marie seemed to ponder Edd's suggestion for a moment.

"Let you go huh?" Marie said as she mulled it over in her head. She suddenly wrapped her arm around Edd's head and pulled him beside the trailer. She pushed him up against the exterior of the trailer and dragged him up to a standing position. She wrapped her other arm around his body and both of his arms, pinning him against the trailer and rendering him immobile. "Sorry, dreamboat, I can't do that either," Marie whispered into his ear, her hot breath causing every hair on his body to go erect and sending a chill up his spine.

"Please don't, please don't, please don't," Edd repeated over and over again under his breath. Marie heard his ramblings and couldn't help but grin to herself.

"Please don't do what, Double D?" Marie asked lustfully before taking her arm from around his neck and sliding her hand down his belly. Edd almost screamed in terror; his worst nightmare was about to come true. He tried to wiggle free of her grip, but it was no use: she was so much stronger than he was, and he knew there was no escape. "Come on, stop fighting it. You'll love it..." Marie whispered into his ear as she continued to slide her hand lower and lower until it reached the edge of his shirt and slid into his pants.

"NO!" Edd screamed in terror before wrestling one of his arms free and punching Marie in the face. She stumbled backwards, tripped, and then hit the ground, holding her aching jaw all the while. Edd quickly ran as fast as he could around the trailer, where Ed and Eddy stood in the back, their faces' white with fear.

"What the fuck, Double D! They probably heard your ass and know we're here!" Eddy complained as Edd ran up to the two of them.

"Too late, Eddy! Marie was out there and now we're in deep shit! Run!" Edd ranted frantically before shooting off past Kevin and into the woods, giving Eddy little time to react to hearing Edd cuss, which was an extreme rarity.

"Where the hell is he going?" Kevin yelled as he watched Edd jet deeper and deeper into the woods until he disappeared.

"KANKERS!" Ed yelled as May, Lee, and Marie, who was still holding her face in pain, dashed around the corner of the trailer and straight for Ed, Edd, and Kevin.

"Holy shit, run for it!" Eddy shrieked as he, Ed, and Kevin began running as fast as they could back toward the Cul-De-Sac.

"Come back here you dickless cowards!" Lee yelled after them as she and her sisters scrambled to catch the fleeing boys. Edd was far ahead of Ed, Eddy, and Kevin, but could hear their frantic cries for help and the crashing of them through the foilage as they ran through the woods. He lost all sense of direction as he tried to put as much distance between him and the trailer park as possible. He didn't want to get caught by the Kankers. Especially not this time. Especially not after what almost happened back there with Marie. He wanted to keep on running and never look back. Edd suddenly found himself running by houses, and realized he was back in the Cul-De-Sac.

"Sanctuary!" Edd cried in joy as he saw his house come into view. He scrambled toward it, desperately wanting to feel the warmth of his home, which he hoped would help him forget about the encounter with Marie he had. He reached the front door and frantically twisted the knob. He gasped: it was locked. "Oh my! Key, key, where's the key!" Edd shrieked as he began pawing furiously at his pockets. He stopped and slammed his fist into the door. "No... I left it in my room on the dresser..." Edd mumbled. He whirled around when he heard the sound of Ed, Eddy, and Kevin reentering the Cul-De-Sac.

"Come on, we're almost home!" Eddy yelled back at Ed, who was running for dear life next to Kevin.

"Don't leave me, Eddy!" Ed pleaded, trying to keep up with the shorter Ed, who was running at breakneck speed.

"Yeah, dorky, I ain't getting caught by those bitches twice in one day!" Kevin yelled as he looked back toward the woods, praying that he didn't see three females burst through the foliage.

"Hold on, Eddy! My house is locked, let me come to yours!" Edd screamed after Eddy as he dashed from his porch and attempted to catch up with the three running boys. Eddy turned his head to look at Edd, who was right behind Ed and Kevin.

"Shit, Double D, behind you!" Eddy warned as he pointed. Edd arced his head around to look, and screamed. May and Lee were were trailing a bit behind, but Marie was right behind him and was slowly gaining. She had stopped holding her jaw, and she had a bloody lip where Edd had punched her straight in the mouth.

"You better run, you little shithead!" Marie wailed as she tried to grab Edd by his hat. Edd tried to run faster in hopes of beating her to Eddy's house; Eddy had already reached his front door and unlocked it. He held it open and let Ed and Kevin run inside, and then looked at Edd. He saw Marie right behind him, and Lee and May not too far behind her. He looked Edd straight in the eyes, a guilty look on his face.

"Don't you dare, Eddy!" Edd yelled before leaping for Eddy's front door. He slid inside and Eddy slammed the door behind him, quickly locking it as Edd stood up and joined Ed and Kevin in the middle of Eddy's living room. Eddy backed up as the Kankers began beating on his front door, which was just about to fly off of the hinges.

"Holy shit, they're like animals!" Kevin commented as he watched the front door in fear, afraid that it would bust open at any moment.

"Damn it, we better get to my room and fast!" Eddy suggested before leading the other three, who were all shaking in horror, to his room. He slid the door shut behind them and locked it.

"Where the hell are your parents, dorky?" Kevin asked.

"Hell if I know, they're probably out watching some dumbass movie again... why?" Eddy asked as he felt his chest rise up and down, his heart still racing from the chase the Kankers had given them.

"Damn it, if they were here those sluts outside would probably leave us alone..." Kevin commented before sitting down on Eddy's floor to catch his breath. Ed plopped down on Eddy's bed and Edd simply stood in the middle of Eddy's room, all the color drained out of his face as he stared at the ground. Eddy stared at Edd, wondering what was wrong with his sock hat-wearing friend.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Double D?" Eddy asked as he stared at Edd's motionless face. Edd cleared his throat and looked around at Ed, Kevin, and then Eddy.

"Nothing..." Edd lied before leaning against Eddy's wall for support. The sounds of the Kankers pounding on Eddy's door ceased, and they all let out a sigh of relief, save for Edd, who continued to lean against Eddy's wall and stare at nothing. Eddy grinned before walking over to Edd.

"Nothing my ass!" Eddy said before giving Edd a friendly punch on the shoulder. "I saw that cut on Marie's lip! I didn't know you had it in you, sockhead!" Eddy complemented.

"No, Eddy... I made a terrible mistake by hitting her... who knows what she'll do to exact her revenge..." Edd speculated as he drifted off again. He couldn't tell Ed, Eddy, and especially not Kevin what had happened back there with Marie. He couldn't find the words to tell them. He didn't know how they'd react to the fact that Marie had just attempted to take it to the "next level" with him. He couldn't quite accept it himself. But there was something new inside of him. Something that wasn't there before. Hate. Not just hate, but a loathing. A loathing for Marie. He hated her. He hated everything about her. She was more than just a bully. She was a sadist. A person who wanted nothing more out of him than to see him in distress. And he hated her for it. Edd found himself crying. He felt salty tears sliding down his cheeks. He then noticed Ed, Eddy, and Kevin watching him. Edd started to grit his teeth. They didn't understand. Edd didn't know for sure whether or not May or Lee had tried to pull the same thing on Ed and Eddy, but he knew he couldn't ask them about it or they'd end up finding out about what almost happened. All he knew is that he couldn't take their eyes watching him. He couldn't take their wide eyed stares, their misunderstanding of his condition. They didn't know what he went through tonight.

"Are you okay, Double D?" Ed asked before laying his hand on Edd's shoulder. Edd snapped.

"STOP STARING AT ME!" Edd screamed before stumbling toward Eddy's back door, tears streaming from his eyes and dribbling down his arm as he tried to wipe them away. He tore open Eddy's door and ran haphazardly out into the fresh air of the night, and then slammed the door behind him. Ed, Eddy, and Kevin had been watching the whole time in disbelief. They had no idea what had gotten into Edd, but, by the look on Kevin's face, he really didn't care. Kevin got up off of his feet and dusted himself off.

"Right. Well I'll leave you two dorks alone. I think you're friend Double D has had a dork overdose, and I think I'm about to get one too if I spend much more time around you dweebs. Later, losers," Kevin mocked before making for Eddy's door. Before leaving, he turned around and said, "Oh, and by the way. You dorks owe me a motorcycle."

"Yeah the fuck right, we don't owe him shit," Eddy muttered after Kevin left. Ed got up and walked over to Eddy, a concerned look on his face.

"What happened to Double D?" Ed asked, confused about what exactly just occurred. Eddy shrugged.

"I dunno... the guy can be a drama queen sometimes. But you know what? I don't blame him. Hell, I feel like crying every time I have to even look at the Kankers and their ugly ass faces," Eddy commented before grabbing Ed by the jacket sleeve and dragging him to his door.

"Are we going to see if Double D's okay?" Ed asked as he was dragged outside of Eddy's room's door and to Eddy's house's front door.

"Nope, you're going home," Eddy explained.

"But Eddy-" Ed protested before being cut off by Eddy.

"But Eddy nothing, Ed. Look, we'll ask Double D tomorrow what's wrong. All I know is that I'm tired as hell and I want to go to sleep and forget about what happened today. Good night, Ed," Eddy said before shoving Ed out his front door and shutting it behind him. Ed looked back at Eddy's door, which remained closed. He sighed and wandered back toward his house, hoping to find solace in his cold, dank room.


	4. Trailer Truths

**Authors Note: **_Well, I really have nothing to say, except for this: here's chapter four, read and review._

* * *

Ed sulked outside of his front door a few moments, wondering if he would go inside or go and see what was wrong with Edd. He was genuinely concerned about his sock-hatted friend, and thought that if Eddy wouldn't go and see what was bothering him, he would. When his eyelids started to feel the weight of sleep, however, he couldn't fight the urge to go inside, curl up on his filthy mattress, and get to work making Z's. He jiggled the handle to his front door and found it was unlocked. He stepped inside of his dark house and quietly shut the door behind him. He leaned up against it and looked around the living room, trying to use the moonlight streaming in through the windows to aid him in his quest to identify where the hallway was so he could get to his room. To his surprise, the lights suddenly flicked on, and, lo and behold, there stood Sarah, her face red with anger, and her best friend right behind her, looking on with delight at what his friend could possibly have in store for her brother.

"ED!" Sarah yelled, snapping Ed to attention and clearing away the drowsiness that had clouded his mind.

"Yes, baby sister?" Ed asked, wanting to get whatever yelling or cursing Sarah had in store from him over with.

"Mom sat up for an hour straight worrying about where her precious little boy went off to!" Sarah began mockingly. "Should I tell her you were out with your retarded friends at the trailer park?" Sarah asked angrily. Ed gulped. He feared that she had seen them going to the trailer park to get Kevin's bike, but now it was official.

"But we were trying to get something for Kevin!" Ed protested, hoping that he wouldn't get in trouble; but even Ed, as dense as he could be, knew that it was a losing battle every time.

"I don't care if you were trying to get something for Kevin, going to goof around in the woods, or going visit your trashy girlfriends! When mom says to be home at eight, she means at eight!" Sarah scolded angrily. Ed's emotions were swirling around inside of him. He was angry at Sarah for being so mean and being the biggest tattle tale around, but he was also fearful of her wrath; scared of his mother's wrath even more so.

"They're not our girlfriends!" was all Ed could think to yell back, absolutely hating the label she had decided to assign to the Kanker sisters, girls who he knew that he would never date, not even in a million years. Ed noticed that Sarah's friend could barely contain himself behind her, and was fighting the urge to burst out in laughter.

"I know they're not Ed..." Sarah said as she stepped toward him, her tone and demeanor suddenly changing from one of anger to one of sorrow and kindness. Ed almost wished it was true; but he knew that every time she did that meant that the real pain was coming. "But I won't tell mom about you being at the trailer park, on one condition..." Sarah began, Ed suddenly perking up at the suggestion that there was an alternative to his mom punishing him. "You forgot to go buy me a new brush, Ed, and I want one right now." Ed's face sunk a little. He had forgotten to go get Sarah a brush earlier when she had shoved her only one down his throat, but it had slipped his mind since he was still moping about how much Sarah hated and tortured him.

"But... where can I get one at night?" Ed asked. Sarah grinned evilly.

"I'm sure someone around here has one that you could borrow, Ed," Sarah explained. Ed pondered her suggestion for a moment.

"Nazz is a girl, and she has brushes... but what if she doesn't want to give me one of hers?" Ed reasoned.

"I never said to ask," Sarah quipped. Ed had to once again stop and think about what she said, and froze up with fear when he realized what she meant.

"But I can't steal from Nazz... mom said stealing's wrong and is for stupid thugs," Ed said, hoping that would be enough to sate Sarah's lust to see Ed in trouble. Sarah shook her head furiously.

"No, you're gonna go get me another brush, whether you like it or not! And don't think I don't know about you and frog lips going to the store in town and stealing stuff, so you're a hypocrite for not wanting to steal for me!" Sarah huffed, once again beating Ed at every turn.

"But-" Ed began, only to be interrupted by Sarah's friend, who had chosen to be a silent spectator up until now.

"You heard the woman, mister! Now get going and get her a new brush!" Jimmy chided, wanting to be rid of Ed so that he and Sarah could get back to playing. Jimmy had gotten his dental wear removed a year earlier, brightening up his features quite a bit and revealing a bright white smile. That smile, however, hid a little boy that was usually just as bad as his best friend Sarah, especially toward her brother, Ed, who he consistently mocked and tortured along side Sarah, enjoying almost as much as she did. Almost. Sarah and Jimmy both looked at Ed, their child-like yet evil faces reinforcing the fact that they had won. Ed knew he was defeated, so he did the usual whenever he had caved into his sister's wishes, which was always. He just nodded slowly and sadly, and then trudged off to do whatever his sister had asked.

* * *

Eddy rolled over on his bed, trying to get some sleep after the day's ordeals; but he was finding it quite difficult, especially with so many questions and thoughts racing through his head. The one that was at the front of his mind was Edd and his extremely weird behavior right before he had stormed out of his house. Eddy knew that the Kankers were always harsh on the Eds, both emotionally and physically, but he had never seen Edd break down like that before over them. Eddy knew that he felt like breaking down and crying sometimes when he thought about all the things the Kankers had put them through, and all the things they were still going to put them through in the future. He also knew that he wouldn't, however. He knew that he was too tough to cry about it, although he certainly wasn't too tough to complain about it. That fact made Eddy think about what exactly had happened to Edd to cause him to break down so spectacularly. He knew that something just wasn't right. Something had happened to Edd that he wasn't telling him and Ed. Then it dawned on him; something had happened at the trailer park when they were trying to get Kevin's bike back from the Kankers.

He sat up in his bed, no longer able to get any rest now that his mind was racing at a thousand miles per hour. Edd had come running around the trailer, his eyes full of fear and desperation. Which was normal behavior for anyone when being chased by the Kankers, but Edd had also broken one of his golden rules, something he railed on everyone for: he had cussed. Eddy knew that something serious must have happened. Not only that, but Edd had also broken another one of his golden rules, a rule that he cared even more about: he had hit Marie, which was obvious by the cut on Marie's lip and the way she chased Edd; she wasn't chasing Edd like she usually did, like she wanted to catch him and start loving him to death. No, she was chasing him like Kevin chases them whenever he wants to pound their faces into the dirt. Edd had never purposely tried to beat up another person, as he had always prided himself in being a pacifist. Eddy knew that Ed's worrying about Edd wasn't completely unfounded; Ed didn't understand much around him, but he almost always knew when something was wrong with his friends. And now Eddy knew what Ed knew. That something was wrong with Edd. And now he was going to find out what.

* * *

Edd sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall across from him. The light was on, which was against the house rules when it was time to go to sleep, but, at this point, that was the last thing on Edd's mind. His legs dangled lifelessly over the bedside, and his arms hung like wet noodles at his side, the bones in his arms turning to a jelly like state. His entire body felt like it was shut down, like it needed a recharge. All the power in his body was diverted to his brain, and all the power that his brain had was diverted toward one thought. And thought was Marie. Edd wasn't going to lie to himself. He had put up with a lot of crap from Marie and her sisters. He had put up with the humiliation. The beatings. The names. The hugs. The footsies. The kisses. Even some of the grabbing. No more. No more. That's all Edd could think. Marie had taken it too far tonight. He wished she would disappear off the face of the Earth. Or at the very least just leave and never show her face around Peach Creek again. She had tried to defile him. She had tried to take something that was not hers, but was his. Marie and her sisters had consistently sexually harassed him, Ed, and Eddy, but Marie had moved on from sexual harassment. He remembered what Kevin had called the Kankers earlier that night. "Rapists-in-training". Those three words hung in his head like stale air hangs around a room, clogging up the movement of the new with the old. Edd disliked Kevin, but he couldn't find more apt words than those in his head for what the Kankers were.

And that terrified him more than what had happened earlier. Why hadn't he figured it out before? It only made sense; the Kankers had started out just kissing, hugging, and generally being very forceful with the Eds. But they hadn't moved beyond that in the four years that the Eds had known them. Of course, all the kisses and crushing bear hugs were very scarring physically and emotionally, but he almost had to hit himself for not thinking about it before. The Kankers were probably beginning to grow bored of what they currently did with the Eds. They wanted more than just a kiss on the lips. He know knew that, while Marie had been the first of the Kankers to attempt what she had on him earlier, she wouldn't be the only one. It was only a matter of time before May and Lee grew bored of the kisses too and emulated Marie. He also knew that he had gotten lucky. He had escaped before Marie could complete her mission to get into his pants. He knew that it wasn't like an Ed to get lucky. He knew that Ed and Eddy, if faced with the same situation, might not react in the same way he did. And he shuddered at the images that forced their way into his mind, images of what would happen if Ed and Eddy didn't resist. He knew he had to do something before it was too late for him, Ed, and Eddy.

* * *

Ed stood shivering outside of Nazz's house. He had to get a brush for Sarah. And not just any brush. The best brush he could find. He couldn't let Sarah tell his mom about him being around the trailer park. His mom had told him to stay away from there when she found about the Kankers and their bullying ways. She had always told him to stay away from thugs like that. Ed almost laughed at her when she had told him to stay away from the Kankers, but he had to repress it. It was so ironic and funny to Ed, in a very sad and depressing kind of way. The Eds had tried so hard to stay away from the Kankers every day, but the Kankers would have none of that, and always managed to worm their way into the Eds' lives. All of the parents in the Cul-De-Sac knew about the Kankers. None of them knew that the kids of the Cul-De-Sac were tortured, beaten, and humiliated by the Kankers on a daily basis, especially the Eds. The Eds and the other kids, however, would never tell their parents, teachers, or any sort of adult. Ed knew it was because everyone was too scared too; everyone feared reprisal from the Kankers if they told someone of authority.

Ed also couldn't let Sarah tell his mom about his and Eddy's "shopping trips" to town. Ed knew what he and Eddy did was wrong, but Eddy had convinced Ed on several occasions that it was okay to steal. Okay, as long as you didn't get caught. Ed snapped out of thought, remembering the task at hand. He was about to steal once again. He slowly walked toward Nazz's house, which was pitch black. Ed moved toward the side of Nazz's house and gazed up at her window, which was too far up for him to jump. He turned around and stuck his arms out in front of him and began to feel around for something that would aid him in his quest to get up to Nazz's room. His hands suddenly felt the rough bark of a tree. He smiled a little, happy that he had found his natural ladder up to Nazz's window. He wrapped his big arms around the tree and began to climb up, ignoring the queasiness in his stomach; Ed had climbed to a lot of very high places in his days with Edd and Eddy, but he never truly got over his fear of heights. He resisted the urge to look down at the ground below him. He knew if he gave in to the urge, the world would begin spinning and he would lose his grip on the tree and fall, which would probably wake Nazz and her parents and then he'd been in a crap ton of trouble.

Ed finally reached a branch that extended very close to Nazz's window, so he quietly pulled himself up onto the branch. He looked at Nazz's window, hoping that she hadn't heard or seen him climbing up the tree. It was completely dark inside of Nazz's room; even if she had seen him, he'd never know. So he just shrugged his shoulders and began worming his way across the branch, clinging on desperately and fearfully. When he reached the very edge of the tree branch, the tree creaked loudly, Ed's immense weight threatening to tear the branch from the tree. Ed froze and remained completely still, and the branch held his weight. Ed sighed and relief and turned his attention back to Nazz's window. He shot an arm out and began grasping at the edge of the window, hoping to find something to latch onto so he could pull himself toward the window. He grabbed onto the raised surface around the window and pulled himself toward it. He shot out his other hand and began trying to pull up the window, and was relieved when it slid open very easily and very quietly. He quickly hauled himself into Nazz's room and stood up. He observed his surroundings. He saw Nazz's bed, which had very thick blankets, multiple pillows, and a canopy above it. He saw a nightstand next to Nazz's bed with a lamp and an alarm clock that read "10:51" in bright red letters. He spotted a television next to the wall across from him. He then saw a dresser with a large mirror on it. He crept across Nazz's room, hoping not to wake her from her slumber. When he reached the dresser his eyes began scanning it's surface for any sign of a brush that would satisfy his sister. He spotted a comb, some eyeliner, a tube of lipstick, some nail polish, and several other beauty supplies. Then he spotted the perfect candidate. A brush with golden bristles that looked like the hair from a horse's mane sat propped up against the edge of the mirror.

Ed grabbed the brush and did a silent victory dance, happy that he could now escape punishment from Sarah and his mom. He turned around and began to walk back toward the window, hoping that his exit was as silent as his entrance. He reached the window and began to lift himself back through it, but whirled around when he heard a door opening. He stood in shock as Nazz walked in, a towel wrapped around her body. Ed's eyes almost fell out of it's sockets. He had never seen a girl so close to being naked, save for the one time he, Edd, and Eddy had burst through the Kanker's bathroom floor and Marie was in a similar state. Except that he hated Marie and had a huge crush on Nazz. He snapped out of his trance. He knew that Nazz couldn't see him in her room. He quickly shot across the room and slid under her bed, hoping that she hadn't spotted him. He almost sighed in relief when she started hum and walked across the room, oblivious to his presence. She started messing with stuff on her dresser. She opened a drawer and pulled out some face cream, and then she began to rub it across her cheeks. Ed laid shivering under her bed, watching her as she went about her business, his being in her room unknown to her. Ed was desperate for a chance to escape. He knew if he tried to get out now that she would spot him and probably scream her head off, and that was the last thing Ed wanted to happen. So he continued to lay there, waiting for any sort of chance to jump out of her window and run off to freedom.

"Hmm... where did my brush go?" Nazz said to herself, noticing that her brush was missing. Ed gulped before looking at the brush in his hand and back to her. He silently prayed that she didn't try to look for it. "Oh well, maybe mom borrowed it again," Nazz reasoned, much to Ed's relief. Nazz finished applying the cream to her face and then looked in the mirror and nodded in approval of her work. She suddenly snapped her fingers. "Darn, I forgot that I still had to put on my nightgown..." Nazz sighed before reaching down and taking off the towel that was wrapped around her body. Ed's hand snapped shut over his mouth. She was completely naked. Ed couldn't see her front side, but her naked butt was clearly visible to him from where he laid down, the light from the hallway giving him a full view of her backside. Nazz used the towel to wipe the cream off of her face, and then laid the towel on the dresser. She turned slightly to the left and walked over to her closet, Ed admiring her body as she walked. Ed wanted to tear his eyes away from Nazz, but he couldn't. He had never seen a girl in the nude before, and, even though Nazz being at her closet and very distracted gave him the perfect opportunity to make his escape, something inside of him begged him to stay just a little longer. And Ed happily obeyed.

Nazz swung open her closet and began to rummage around in it for a few moments before pulling a pink nightgown out. She shut the closet and then gave the nightgown a once over, making sure she it was clean. She turned around, and Ed suddenly felt himself getting very hot, and he also felt something rising in his pants. Nazz stood naked before him, her chest and private area exposed to him. He could barely contain himself at the naked woman that stood before him. Ed didn't like being so perverted, but when one has a friend like Eddy, tendencies such as being a complete pig tend to rub off on a person. Ed just laid there, staring at Nazz's soft and inviting body. Thoughts were racing through his head, many of them that even Eddy would be ashamed of. He suddenly realized that Nazz had been standing still the whole time. He looked up at her face, and he froze in fear, the rising in his pants stopping. Nazz's face was frozen in shock and disbelief as she stared back at him. They just stared at each other a few seconds, both of their faces twisted in shock, confusion, fear. Nazz suddenly sucked in a huge amount of air.

"Uh oh..." Ed muttered before Nazz let out an earsplitting scream that could be heard throughout the entire Cul-De-Sac.

* * *

The sun peeked over the edge of Peach Creek, slowly creeping up the sky in an attempt to spread it's light over Peach Creek and dispel the darkness that had swallowed it up. The light from the sun glinted off of the trailers in the trailer park, and the light wormed it's way between the trailers, scaring many different critters and causing them to scurry for the darkness under many of the trailers, where the light could not bother them. The light, however, wasn't the only thing bothering a teenage girl who lived in one of the trailers. Marie sat slouched on her green couch, her body sinking into the well-worn pillows and backing and her arms crossed and resting on her belly. An ugly scowl was plastered on her face as she stared at the black screen of the television, which she had turned off minutes before because, according to her, it was "annoying as hell".

May watched her sister from the doorway to the kitchen, wondering silently to herself what was wrong with her. The night before she and Lee had ran outside to find Marie laying on the ground clutching her face. Marie told them that Edd had punched her in the face and ran off, prompting the three of them to chase the Eds and Kevin all the way back to the Cul-De-Sac, although they were forced to leave in defeat since their prey managed to reach the safety of Eddy's house. May knew that it couldn't be that the hit had hurt Marie; Marie was very used to pain due to the constant fights between the three of them, so a hit in the face was nothing new to her. She thought it could be that she was angry about the Eds escaping for the second time that day, but she wasn't completely sure. She was so desperate to know what was wrong, but she didn't want to out and ask. She and her sisters never tried to show any sympathy or concern, at least directly, because, to them, that was a sign of weakness. So May was forced to think of a creative way to get Marie to tell her what was bothering her so much.

"Marie, I need some help in the kitchen! These dishes aren't gonna clean themselves!" May yelled at Marie, hoping to at least get her to get up and join her in the kitchen, where she might be able to pry some information out of her. Marie just groaned and shot her an evil glare.

"I'm not in the mood for your shit, May. Just get in there and do the dishes your own damn self," Marie seethed before returning her glare to the blank television. May huffed in anger. Marie avoided getting into any sort of conversation with May or Lee so far that morning, and had been sulking on the couch ever since they had woken up. May was sick of it.

"That's it, Marie, just tell me what the hell is wrong with you?" May howled before stamping over to the couch and crossing her arms, waiting for an answer from her sister. Marie shot up to her feet and whirled around toward May, her face crimson.

"None of your business, beaver!" Marie screamed in fury before shoving May hard, causing her to stumble backward and crash into the wall. May quickly recovered and bolted toward Marie.

"Why you-" May bristled before jumping on Marie, the two of them falling to the floor, where they began to wrestle around. May managed to get on top of Marie and pin her arms to the ground. Marie began to struggle against May, trying to get out of May's hold. "Tell me what's wrong!" May demanded before Marie wrenched one of her arms free and grabbed May by the hair, causing her to shriek in pain. Marie pulled May over her head, causing May to slam into the floor above her head. Marie jumped up and put up her fists, ready to fight some more. May stood up and dusted herself off.

"Come on, May, show me what you're made of!" Marie taunted as she leered at May. May just snorted at her indignantly.

"Forget it. If you want to be a big baby about it, then I don't care," May said before turning around and crossing her arms. Marie just stood there, staring in anger at her younger sister. She suddenly began to calm down. She realized that May was right; in fact, she was acting a lot like May when she didn't get her way. And she couldn't stand to be told to stop acting like a baby by May, who acted like a baby on a daily basis.

"Fine... you're right... for once," Marie admitted in defeat before flopping down on the couch. May turned back around, pleased with her results. May sat down beside Marie and turned to her.

"I just want to know what's wrong," May began. She studied Marie's face. Marie had managed to cover up the cut on her lip with lipstick and a little make up, and it was largely unnoticeable now. Marie looked away from May and resumed her staring at the television. Marie was starting to get pissed off at May staring at her.

"Okay, I'll tell you just stop staring at me like that," Marie said after a few moments. May nodded her head and waited for Marie to begin her explanation. "I caught Double D trying to steal back that stupid jock's bike the other night," Marie began as May listened intently. "I don't know why he wanted it, but I didn't really care. Anyway, I pinned him up against the trailer, and..." Marie started trailing off.

"And what?" May asked, confused to why Marie stopped. She looked back at May and bit her lip.

"Well... I was a little angry that he had escaped us earlier in the day, so I sort of tried to grab him down there," Marie disclosed.

"What do you mean by 'grab him down there'?" May asked, still confused as to what Marie was talking about. Marie rolled her eyes.

"I tried to grab his dick, dumbass," Marie finally said, tired of May's thick head. May's eyes widened at Marie's admission.

"Is that why he punched you?" May asked.

"Yeah, I guess so... I didn't know that scrawny freak had it in him," Marie said before reaching for her lip, but stopping herself, knowing that she might mess up the make up she used to cover it up. Marie looked at May. It was clear they were thinking the same thing.

"We should go get him back for what he did to you," May said, Marie nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I'm gonna make that little twig wish he was never born when I'm done with him," Marie proclaimed as she slammed her fist into the couch, her anger at Edd getting the better of her. "I don't know why his stupid ass resisted anyway. I mean, is he gay or something? Any other guy would kill for a girl to be on him like that." May's eyes lowered a little, resting their gaze on the carpeting of their trailer. Marie noticed May's pathetic expression. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." May lied. She sighed and then looked up at Marie. " It's just... well... do you... do you think the Eds love us? Or even like us?" May asked, looking for comfort in her sister. Marie swallowed, her throat becoming dry. She had a feeling that May was going to ask a question like this eventually. The Kankers had chased the Eds for four years and tortured them every chance they got. They had made the Eds' lives a living hell. Marie knew May was very naive, and so it was no surprise to Marie that she didn't catch the hint that the Eds absolutely despised them.

"Well... uh..." Marie stuttered, trying to find a way to put it lightly so that May wasn't hurt too badly. She stared at May's face, which was filled with a need to be answered. A need for the answer that she was looking for. That she wanted to hear. Marie knew May wanted to hear that the Eds really did love them. That they were just playing hard to get; but Marie and Lee both knew the truth. When they used to chase the Eds, they really did believe that the Eds were just playing hard to get. Lee and Marie wised up very quickly over the years, and now chased the Eds to make them pay for daring to resist their love. Marie and Lee would be lying if they said they loved the Eds; they did still have feelings for them, but much of their love was now replaced with a dark hatred. The Kankers had shown the Eds that they loved them, but the Eds blew them off and ran from them every chance they got. Just like mom said. That was all that was on Marie's mind as she stared at May's innocent and naive face. Mom had told May, Marie, and Lee when they were very young that men were evil. That they would tell you that they loved you when they really just wanted to get into your pants and then leave you alone forever. She had told them that men were to be treated like dogs, because that's all they were. She had told them to take advantage of men, to play on their weaknesses, and to make them pay if they ever crossed them.

The Kankers had taken their mom's advice to heart when they met the Eds. The Kankers had just moved into the trailer park, and were simply exploring their surroundings when they spotted Ed, Edd, n' Eddy pulling some cockamamie scam to entice the kids of the Cul-De-Sac out of their quarters. They didn't even know who they were at first, but they already knew that they were meant to be. The Kankers then watched the Eds for some time afterward without their knowledge, learning their names and many different things about them. Then came the fateful day when the Kankers finally had their chance to meet face to face with the Eds; the Eds had wandered into the woods on some bug expedition, giving the Kankers the opportunity they needed to lure the three boys to the trailer park. They scared the Eds witless, causing them to go running through the woods and straight into a puddle of mud, where the Kankers quickly scooped up their filthy bodies, taken them back to the trailer, washed them clean, and then given them their fathers' bath robes. The Kankers then tried to play the Eds, luring them in with food, drink, and television. When Lee thought they were nice and cozy, she had told May and Marie that it was time for step two. The three of them put on their best outfits and returned to the Eds, expecting them to fall in love with them.

Marie closed her eyes, causing May gulp. Marie had just sat there staring at her, like she didn't know how to answer her question. Marie remembered what happened next as clear as if it had just happened yesterday. The Eds completely ignored them. The Eds had taken advantage of their kindness, and repaid it by being completely rude pigs. That's when she and her sisters found out that their mom was right; that all men are pigs who needed to be controlled by women. So they quickly repaid the Eds' by forcing them to clean their house, do their laundry, and wash their dishes. Eddy, of course, wasn't about to put up with that for long, and quickly yelled at her, May, and Lee, causing them to lose it and retreat to their room. The Eds then tried to come into their room, probably guilty about what they did. It was too late for guilt, however. May quickly told them off and they decided to go home. She and her sisters weren't going to let them off so easily, however, so they quickly put face cream on, put curlers in their hair, and took some dolls they had made of the Eds and scared the Eds to death when they tried to leave, causing them to run off back to the Cul-De-Sac. Unfortunately for the Eds, it didn't end there; May, Marie, and Lee didn't get the hint that the Eds didn't love, or even like them, so they thought that they were just playing hard to get. They were wrong.

"Marie?" May asked, genuinely concerned by her sister's silence. Marie snapped back to reality and looked at May. She sighed before grabbing May's hand, much to May's surprise.

"May... please don't freak out when I tell you what I'm about to tell you," Marie began. May nodded slowly, confused. In her gut, however, she knew where this was going. "The Eds... well... they..." Marie kept on pausing between words, hoping to find a soft way to put it. May continued to stare at her, her eyes pleading Marie to tell her that the Eds returned their love. Marie knew she couldn't let May keep on thinking that. She knew that May had to know now or she may never have the chance to tell her the truth again. "Oh fuck it," Marie resigned before grabbing May by the shoulders, not only to brace May for what she was about to say, but to brace herself as well. "May, the Eds fucking hate us. They despise us. They loath us. They hate everything about us. They think we're bitches. They think we're sluts. They think we're skanks. We're like the devil to them. They never loved us and they never will." May just sat there, looking at Marie in horror and disbelief as she rambled on about just how much the Eds hated her and her sisters.

"But... but... I thought..." May stuttered, tears welling up in her eyes. Marie sucked her teeth and smacked May across the face, causing her to snap out of her little sad spell.

"Stop sniveling like a little baby, May. I mean, come on! Why do you think they always run from us? Why do you think they always cower in the corner whenever we catch them? Why do think they have never once returned our love? It's not a game they're playing with us. They really do hate us," Marie explained in a single breath, causing her to inhale loudly after she was done. May just sat there staring at Marie, a red hand print on her face where Marie had smacked her. She didn't feel the pain from the smack. She did feel the pain from Marie's words. A few tears began to slide down her cheeks as she let everything Marie said sink down painfully into her mind. May sighed heavily, tempted to burst out into a fit of crying but managing to keep it under control.

"I know... I mean... I knew the whole time..." May admitted before looking down at her hands, which lay limp in her lap. "I just... I just thought that maybe Ed loved me deep down, you know? I-I-I was in denial..." May explained, her tone uneven and filled with grief. Marie smiled a little, but quickly erased it when May looked up at her. Marie nodded knowingly before releasing May's shoulders.

"Good... good," Marie repeated as May looked at her longingly. "Don't get all worked up over it though. Just because they don't love us doesn't me we can't still chase after them. We'll still hug them. We'll still squeeze them. We'll still kiss them. And we'll do a _lot_ more than that if you want. Because now you won't be chasing after Ed because you think he loves you back but is hiding it. No, now you'll be chasing after Ed for the same reason me and Lee chase after Double D and Eddy. To make them pay. To make them wish that they loved us. But most of all, because we don't care whether they love us or not. We'll have their bodies even if we don't have their minds," Marie unraveled to May, who absorbed Marie's antagonistic words as the absolute truth.

"You're right," May agreed before wiping her eyes free of the tears they once harbored. "Now I'm gonna make Ed mine whether he wants me or not."

"That's right, May. Just keep that in mind next time we pay our _boyfriends _a visit," Marie extolled, putting emphasis on boyfriends, causing May to giggle evilly. Marie felt a huge wave of relief wash over her. Marie had always dreaded the day she would have to tell May the truth. Lee always told her just to let May keep on believing in Ed's love, but Marie knew that May deserved to hear the truth, whether she wanted to hear it or not. She had never imagined that May would take the news so well. Then again, perhaps she really wanted to hear it. Maybe it would give her an excuse to do whatever she wanted to do to Ed without fear of hurting their "love". That's what Marie and Lee had thought about when trying to find the positive side of the situation. And Marie was almost certain that's what May was thinking as she sat there giggling. They were startled by a loud voice from outside the trailer, interrupting their heartfelt conversation. Well, the Kanker version of a heartfelt conversation.

"May, Marie, get out here and check out what I just got!" Lee yelled from outside, causing May and Marie to get off of the couch and hurry toward the door, curious to see what Lee was talking about. Lee was the only one of them to actually get a job, although Marie and May were on the hunt for one as well. Lee worked in a factory in the city Mondays through Fridays, and had to catch a bus to work everyday very early in the morning and a bus back late at night. Being that it was Sunday, May and Marie had found it odd that Lee had left so early in the morning since she didn't have to work on Sundays. May and Marie opened the trailer door and ran outside, but stopped in their tracks when they spotted Lee. They gasped.

* * *

Eddy sat on his porch, bored out of his mind. Edd had refused to come out of his house, repeatedly telling Eddy that he just needed time to think and that he couldn't come out today. So Eddy had decided to try to see if Ed was up to scamming. That was, until he found out the dire situation Ed was in. Sarah had gotten Ed grounded for a month straight; according to Kevin, who had recently spoken with Nazz and Sarah, Ed had been busted spying on Nazz as she changed, he tried to steal her brush, and Sarah had told her mom that Ed had been at the trailer park yesterday, causing their mom to go into the biggest fit of yelling, finger pointing, and foot stamping that she had ever done. After Kevin was done telling Eddy everything, he had punched him in the stomach and reminded him about his bike, but Eddy didn't really mind. He was too busy laughing about Ed to even notice the pain, the pain in his lungs from laughing so hard being far worse. Now that he had stopped laughing, Eddy realized that with Edd "deep in thought" and Ed grounded, he had nothing to do. Eddy had planned the night before to find out what the hell was wrong with Edd, but since Edd had been so eager to push him out of his house, he figured he'd try later in the day, or even tomorrow. So Eddy just sat on his porch, bored out of his mind as he tried to think of a way to get money by himself, which was no easy feat.

Eddy perked up when he saw Kevin wheeling his bike toward his house, and Eddy once again was forced to let out a chorus of side-splitting laughter: Kevin's bike had been spray painted pink, and many parts of it, such as the seat and the back wheel, had been torn up or completely removed. Kevin turned around, his face red with anger.

"I ain't in the mood for you, Dorky, so stop wailing like a cat giving birth or I'll stuff my foot so far down your throat they'll have to surgically remove it!" Kevin yelled in a single breath. Unfortunately for Kevin, however, this only intensified Eddy's whooping laughter. Kevin groaned, stomped his foot, and then turned around with his bike and wheeled towards his garage. Eddy stood up and ran over to Kevin, who had finally gotten his motorcycle into his garage, hoping to milk this moment for all it was worth.

"Damn, Kevin, looks like the Kankers had their way with your bike... just like they had their way with you!" Eddy mocked before bursting out into another signature Eddy laugh. Kevin grabbed a wrench off of a tool rack and tossed it at Eddy, who expertly dodged it while continuing to laugh.

"Why don't you just buzz off you little troll! I'm trying to do some damage control here!" Kevin complained to an uncaring Eddy, whose laughter quickly subsided.

"Buzz off? Hell no, shovel chin! I'm gonna make you pay for all the shit you put me and my friends through, but mostly me! And this is just round one!" Eddy announced as he stood his ground, the angry jock that stood across from him only getting angrier.

"Screw you, man, my motorcycle just got fucked over by those Kankers, and now I have to deal with your short ass too! I don't think so!" Kevin screamed before bounding toward Eddy, causing him to squeal in terror.

"Oh shit, I was kidding!" Eddy yelled before trying to retreat from Kevin's charge. They ran down Kevin's driveway, the sound of their rapid running echoing throughout the empty cul-de-sac. Eddy quickly jetted towards his house, hoping to get inside and hole himself up until Kevin's rage subsided. Kevin wasn't going to let that happen. He quickly let loose an extra burst of speed and began to catch up with Eddy, who let out a shriek and began to work his short legs faster. Eddy ran inside of his house and slammed the door in Kevin's face, quickly locking himself inside. Kevin began to pound on the door, leaving dents and cracks in it's surface.

"Get out here right now you piece of shit!" Kevin yelled as he began to hit the door harder and harder. Eddy panted on the other side of the door, his little run from Kevin tiring him out. He quickly recovered and began to laugh at Kevin's futile raging.

"No way, Kevin! I'll just leave you out their to stew!" Eddy joked before retiring to his room, where he knew he'd be safe. Eddy's words only intensified Kevin's assault. He was going to get Eddy no matter what. He was tired of Eddy's constant annoyance, and wanted to make him pay, yet again, for it.

"Hello, Kevin," cooed a voice from behind him, causing him to stop his assault and whirl around to face Lee Kanker.

"Fuck!" Kevin yelled as he stood at Eddy's door, defenseless. "Dammit, haven't you tortured me enough already?"

"Don't worry about that, jock strap, I ain't here to screw around with you today. I'm here on serious business," Lee explained, relieving Kevin of some of his fear. But only some of it.

"Fine... then what the hell do you want? Wasn't trashing my bike enough enjoyment for you?" Kevin asked, Lee's sudden presence bringing fresh and hurtful memories of his motorcycle into his mind.

"Oh, that? Well that actually has something to do with what I wanted to propose to you," Lee began, perking up Kevin's interest. "You see, I just got a new car, and since none of the other losers in this cul-de-sac have any kind of ride, I was thinking that we should have a race."

"A race?" Kevin asked, confused. "Why the hell would I want to race you? Knowing your poor ass, you probably have some piece of shit jalopy you found sitting on cinder blocks on the side of the road!" Kevin mocked, causing him to start laughing. Lee suddenly grabbed him by the throat and pulled him to her face.

"We don't want to have a repeat of yesterday, do we, lover boy?" Lee taunted as she flashed him a toothy yellow smile. Kevin gulped and shook his head, causing Lee to let go of him. "Good boy. Now don't get your panties in a bunch, I just want to race you." Kevin rubbed his chin as he mulled the challenge over.

"Fine... but how about we make it interesting," Kevin suggested, letting his competitive side get the better of him.

"Now we're talking. So what kind of bet are we making here?" Lee asked.

"Let me see here..." Kevin mumbled as he thought about what he wanted. The Kankers had torn his bike to pieces, and he knew that he could never get it back into full working condition. That gave him an idea of what he wanted. "Alright, if I win, you have to pay me money until I can afford a new bike." Kevin crossed his arms and waited for Lee's response.

"Alright then, big man, what do I get if I win?" Lee asked. Kevin thought about it for a second and then snapped his fingers.

"Don't worry, Lee, I got something you definitely want," Kevin answered before smiling evilly to himself. "Just give me a day to get my bike working good enough to race, and we'll meet tomorrow in town. And make sure to bring your stupid car, and I'll show you that it ain't shit compared to my motorcycle," Kevin boasted.

"Sounds good. But you'll be eating those words when I leave you chocking on the smoke from my exhaust," Lee said before turning around to leave. She stopped and looked over her shoulder after walking a few feet. "And whatever it is that you're giving me when I win this race, it better be good, or I'll make you my prize," Lee threatened before continuing on down Eddy's lawn. Kevin snickered to himself.

"Don't worry about that, I've got you covered," Kevin whispered to himself before turning around and knocking lightly at Eddy's door.


	5. It'll Be Our Little Secret

**Author's Note: **_Whelp, I finally finished chapter five. Thank you to everyone who's read this story so far. And don't worry, robot factory, you now get to see what's in store for the Eds (Well... at least two of the Eds). I do want to warn anyone who's reading that this chapter is a little darker; don't get me wrong, it's not super mature or anything, but I just wanted to make that clear. Enjoy. :D_

* * *

Edd sat at his desk in his dimly lit room, scribbling in a notebook. His pencil moved at a very erratic pace, which was very unusual for the sock-hatted Ed-boy; usually he went about everything in a very orderly fashion, especially when he took the time to write his thoughts down. These were no normal thoughts, however. Edd's mind was flying at a million miles per hour. Thoughts disappeared as fast as they appeared. His mind was a muddled mess of ideas, solutions, and the problems that he was trying to solve. Several pieces of paper laid around the desk, torn out of the notebook, balled up, and tossed aside in a haphazard manner. The current page, which was the center of Edd's attention, was covered in writing, several lines of which were crossed, scribbled, or rubbed out. Edd suddenly tossed his pencil down on the desk and slammed the notebook shut. He leaned back in the chair and sighed.

"A whole day of writing and I still haven't thought of anything..." Edd commented to himself as he stared at his ceiling, which was a blur to him; his eyes were so tired from writing that his surroundings looked like heavily diluted paint. He felt like throwing his notebook across the room, but he couldn't bring himself to do it; after all, he had already made a mess with all the paper balls, so it would be especially uncharacteristic of him to go throwing things willy-nilly across his room. Instead, he forced himself to look at the cover of the notebook, which read in big, bold, permanent marker letters "My Solutions". Edd couldn't think of a better title for his little foray into trying to find ways to fix his life and the lives of his two friends. Solutions were all the Eds needed to solve their many problems, but every time an apparent solution had come up in the past, something had gone awry to damn the Eds to further torment. Edd would stand for it no longer; he would make sure that this time would be the end of it all. The end of the suffering. The end of the beatings. The end of being the perpetual butt monkeys of the cul-de-sac. So far, Edd had failed. Every solution he cooked up seemed wholly implausible, mostly thanks to the fact that he had waited so long to think them up. He kept thinking to himself how many of these solutions might of worked three, four years ago, but now they would be impossible, due to the absolute hatred that everyone had for the three of them. It used to just be disdain; but since the three Eds never ceased their scamming ways, the hatred only grew larger and larger until they could barely even communicate with anyone else in the cul-de-sac without some sort of snide or hate-filled comment. There were still those who could tolerate them; Rolf, Jonny, and Nazz still were fairly nice to the Eds, but Edd could see that even those three were slowly joining the others in their hate fest.

Edd's train of thought was derailed when his phone rang, prompting him to jump out of his seat and grab his chest. The loud ringing of his phone continued, and he slowly recovered from his momentary state of shock. He calmly walked to the phone and then answered it.

"Uh... hello?" Edd asked, curious to see who could possibly calling him.

"Hey, what's up, Double D!" Eddy's voice rang from the other end of the line. "You'll never believe what just happened!"

"Please enlighten me, Eddy," Edd snarked back, sure that whatever had happened would surely only get the Eds into deeper trouble than they were already in.

"Kevin just knocked on my door and apologized for all the shit he's put us through!" Eddy proclaimed, causing Edd to adopt an expression of shock.

"That can't be right... are we talking about the same Kevin that's been beating and torturing us for the past several years of our lives?" Edd asked, taking Eddy's unbelievable statement with a grain of salt.

"I know, I couldn't believe it at first either, but I think I actually got the guy to crack! I went up to him earlier and was talking about getting revenge for all the times he's tortured us, and he was all pissed at me, as usual. But you should've seen him, Double D! The guy looked like he was about to cry he was so sorry!" Eddy said before laughing heartily. "What a fucking baby!"

"Eddy, this isn't humorous ! This is... this is... this is actually excellent news! I mean... I can hardly believe it myself, but if what you say about Kevin is true, then that means that we no longer have to worry about his bullying ways any longer!" Edd exclaimed, bursting with joy.

"Yeah, I guess so... but I was thinking that we could take advantage of the situation!" Eddy began. Edd sighed. He knew this was coming. Every time anyone, especially someone like Kevin, showed any sign of weakness, all Eddy could think about was how he could make money off of it. Edd would have none of that. The timing of Kevin's apology fit perfectly into Edd's plans. Edd was having difficulty thinking of a way to approach Kevin so that he would make amends with Ed, Eddy, and him, but Kevin saved Edd the trouble of having to do so by approaching Eddy instead. "I'm thinking we could ask shovel chin to-"

"Stop right there, Eddy!" Edd said, almost yelling it and interrupting Eddy mid-sentence. "I wish for once you'd just think about the well-being of you and your friends for once! If Kevin is no longer our enemy, then there's no reason to antagonize him any further," Edd explained. Eddy remained silent on the other end, prompting Edd to sigh. "Think of it this way, Eddy: if Kevin is our friend, then perhaps he can begin to turn the other kids opinions of us more favorable."

"Damn it, I hate it when you're right, Double D," Eddy finally said, much to Edd's delight. "Well, I guess I might as well mention that Kevin said he'd even buy us some jawbreakers to make up for it, so he said I should meet him in town tomorrow," Eddy added.

"Jawbreakers? That's odd... I mean, not that that isn't great news, but we pretty much stopped pursuing those orbs of sugar quite some time ago," Edd reasoned as he adjusted the headset on his ear.

"Who cares? Hell, I maybe sixteen, but I'll go for a jawbreaker any day, especially if it's for free!" Eddy exclaimed. Edd couldn't help but smile on the other end; it made him happy to hear Eddy so optimistic and drooling over jawbreakers. It was just like old times.

"Well, I suppose when you put it that way, I can't help but be in agreement with you, Eddy," Edd responded.

"That's good to hear. And hey, while I got your attention, you mind telling me why you've got yourself locked up in your house?" Eddy asked. Edd's smile faded instantly. Edd wasn't expecting Eddy to ask such a question, especially since Eddy had just learned he was getting free jawbreakers. And Edd definitely wasn't ready to tell Eddy about what had happened between him and Marie. So he did something that he didn't do very often.

"Oh, nothing, Eddy. Mother and Father simply wanted me to complete some tasks, many of which require much of my time to complete," Edd lied, hoping that he was convincing enough to fool Eddy, who was pretty much a master liar.

"Hmm... alright, whatever you say, sockhead," Eddy responded, much to Edd's relief. "I guess I'll let you get back to your chores then. I've got a date with my magazines, if you know what I mean," Eddy joked before letting off another laugh, causing Edd to cringe slightly in disgust.

"Yes, well I wouldn't want to keep you two waiting any longer. Good bye, Eddy," Edd said before hanging up. He walked carefully back to his post at his desk and scooted the chair up to the desk. Eddy's news was quite welcome indeed, but there was still something in that back of Edd's head that kept screaming at him that something just wasn't right. Kevin absolutely hated the Eds, and for him to suddenly go to Eddy and apologize was extremely unlike him. "Oh well, perhaps whatever Eddy said to him really was just that convincing," Edd explained to himself, wanting to believe that he and his friends no longer had to worry about the flame-haired jock.

* * *

Kevin waited patiently on his motorcycle, which was parked out front of the Candy Store. He had a bag with three jawbreakers in it, ready for Eddy, who he had been waiting for about an hour to show up. "Where the hell is that dork? I hope to God he didn't figure out what was going on and chicken out... cause I'm in some deep shit if that's the case," Kevin whispered to himself. Luckily for him, he didn't have to mull over that possibility for long, as Eddy's short figure came into view as he rounded the corner of a store at the very end. Kevin quickly mustered the most believable smile he could as Eddy walked up to him. "Hey, what's up, Eddy?" Kevin greeted, noting that Eddy's eyes were fixated on the bag that he had in his hand.

"Uh... hey, Kev," Eddy quickly said back, his eyes still locked onto the bag. "So... I see you got your bike fixed up..." Eddy said, trying to find something to talk about. Kevin had tried his best to get his bike back into shape, but even his skilled hands could only do so much. While the bike was certainly in good working condition, it was still heavily banged up, and require at least three more weeks of work just to get even near its former glory. That's why Kevin knew he had to win the race that would be beginning very soon. But he had to take care of a particular person first.

"Yeah, luckily those Kankers didn't do too much damage," Kevin responded before patting the side of his motorcycle.

"That's good... so, those jawbreakers are for me... and Ed and Double D, right?" Eddy asked, eager to get his hands on the tasty sack of spheres.

"Of course, Eddy. Think of them as an 'I'm sorry for everything' gift, alright?" Kevin said as he handed the bag over to Eddy, who quickly snatched them away from Kevin. Eddy quickly opened up the sack and peeked inside, and a delightful expression dawned on his face as he saw three big, fat, juicy jawbreakers in the bag. Kevin had his fingers crossed that Eddy would start sucking on one of them now.

"Well damn, Kevin, I ain't one for compliments but you sure do know how to say sorry!" Eddy quipped before reaching into the bag, grabbing one of the jawbreakers, and stuffing it into his mouth. He began to savor the sweet flavor of the jawbreaker, drool running down his cheek.

"Hey, I'm just that kind of guy," Kevin replied as he watched Eddy devour the jawbreaker. "But how about I let you in on a little secret, dorky," Kevin began, his tone changing from one of kindness to pure anger, causing Eddy's eyes to widen. "That jawbreaker ain't saying sorry for all the shit I put you through. It's saying sorry that your dumb ass actually thought I'd every want to be friends with a fucking dweeb like you!" Kevin yelled. Eddy didn't understand at first. Kevin had just bought him three jawbreakers, so why was he now being so hostile as he was before? Eddy soon found out. The world began to spin around him as he went crashing to the ground. The jawbreaker that was in his mouth rolled out onto the sidewalk, his drool still coating it. The sack of jawbreakers fell out of his grip and the two remaining jawbreakers went rolling in different directions as the sack hit the sidewalk as well. Eddy lay motionless on the sidewalk, the world becoming a dark blur around him.

"W... wha... what da... what da fuck..." was all Eddy could mumble as he began to slip into unconsciousness. Kevin got off of his bike and knelt over Eddy.

"Sorry, Eddy, it's just business. Now be a good little dork and stop resisting. Let the drug work its course. Fighting it won't do anything," Kevin explained coldly. Eddy wanted to say something back. He wanted to say anything back. But he couldn't. Everything he tried to say came out as a unintelligible slur. But he didn't stop trying until he finally let the dark consume him completely. Kevin sighed before standing back up and looking around for the three jawbreakers. He grabbed the sack Eddy dropped and then scooped up two of the jawbreakers and put them into the sack. He carefully picked up the third, which was still covered in a thick layer of Eddy's saliva, and carefully placed it into the sack. He tied it up and then threw it into the nearest dumpster. He returned to Eddy's limp body and quickly dragged him over to his bike, where he propped Eddy up against a nearby light pole. He then returned to his post at his motorcycle and waited for his challenger to show up. He didn't have to wait long. He soon stared on in disbelief as a 1965 Mustang Shelby Fastback rolled up to him, all three of the Kankers in it; Marie was in the passenger seat, May was in the back, and Lee was in the drivers seat. Marie rolled down her window and flicked a cigarette at him, which hit him square in the face, causing him to fall backwards off of his motorcycle. The Kankers began to cackle evilly as Kevin quickly stood back up on his feet.

"Oops, didn't see you there," Marie teased as Kevin shot her a death glare.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll let it slide. Partly because I ain't about to start a fight with you three, but mostly because your stupid sister is about to get her ass handed to her," Kevin shot back.

"Alright, enough small talk, let's talk bets," Lee began as she leaned forward to get a good look at Kevin. "We already know what you want if you win, so what do we get if we win?" Lee asked, although by the look on the Kankers' faces, he could tell they had already spotted what he was putting up for his bet.

"I'm putting up Dorky over here," Kevin said before tapping Eddy's limp body with his foot.

"Oh goody, we're gonna get a free Eddy!" May said goofily before clapping her hands together.

"Hah, I don't think so. As much as I'd like to see Eddy get tortured, I'm gonna win this race and get me a new ride," Kevin said before climbing on to his motorcycle. "Now how about we get on to the race, huh?" Kevin asked as he started up his bike.

"Sounds good to me," Lee answered before looking over at Marie. "Alright, Marie, get out and count it down for us!" Marie nodded, a wide smile on her face, before climbing out of the car and running up a few meters in front of both vehicles. May climbed out of the back of the car and took Marie's former seat next to Lee. Kevin pulled his bike away from the curb and next to Lee's car, making sure to line up the front of her bike with her front bumper. Kevin looked back at Eddy to make sure he was still out cold before focusing his attention back on Marie, who, to his surprise, had her hand inside of her shirt.

"What the hell are you doing you crazy bitch?" Kevin yelled to her as she appeared to fondle herself. Marie suddenly ripped her bra out of her shirt and held it up high.

"Hey, I forgot to bring a flag, so I guess this will do the trick!" Marie yelled back as she waved her white bra around in the air. Kevin groaned "trailer trash" in disgust before revving up his bike, getting ready for the countdown. Lee did the same, her engine roaring loudly as she pumped on the gas.

"On your mark..." Marie proclaimed as she brought the bra down to her side. "Get set..." Marie yelled as Kevin and Lee began to brace themselves for the launch forward. "GO!" Marie screamed before tossing her bra up in the air. Kevin's motorcycle launched forward right as Marie yelled go, sending him flying down the street. Lee hit the gas as hard as she could, sending the Mustang flying down the road not far behind Kevin's bike. Kevin looked behind him, and was shocked to see Lee so close behind him as they sped down the street.

"Shit, that car is fast as hell! This ain't gonna be as easy as I thought!" Kevin yelled to himself before turning a corner, hoping that he could get around the corners faster than the Kankers could. Unfortunately for him, Lee was no newbie at driving, so she turned the corner with skill and quickly began to catch up to Kevin. Kevin tried to stick close to the sidewalks, hoping to have the advantage of being closer to the turns than Lee, but there were so many cars parked at the curb that he found it hard to stick close to the sides, forcing him to stay near the middle. Fortunately for him, that left no room for Lee to pass him, meaning it may have been just the advantage he needed. They turned yet another corner, and, much to Lee's dismay, still had many cars parked on both sides, limiting the amount of space she had to manuever.

"Is there a goddamn neighborhood wide barbecue going on or something?" Lee seethed as she looked from side to side in disbelief at the large amount of parked cars.

"Damn it, Lee, he's gonna win!" May whined as they turned another corner, Kevin still in front of them. "I thought you said this car was faster than his stupid bike!" Lee took one of her hands off of the wheel to punch May in the face, sending her face into the passenger side window.

"Shut your trap, May, I've got this!" Lee screamed back, hoping to shut her up. Kevin and Lee were now drawing closer to the finish line, which was right where they started at the candy shop. There was a long straight street on the way back, and Lee knew exactly what to do. Kevin turned onto the street that led back, Lee not too far behind him.

"Ha, I've got this in the bag! Bye piece of shit, hello new motorcycle!" Kevin exclaimed as he sped as fast as he could toward the candy shop, where Marie stood watching the vehicles approach. "What the hell!" Kevin exclaimed as Lee's car rammed the back of his motorcycle. Kevin looked back in anger as Lee approached for another ram. "You fucking cheater!" Kevin screamed before Lee came crashing into the back of his bike, sending it skidding off the side of the road and into a ditch.

"Ha, I guess they were wrong when they said cheaters never prosper!" Lee exclaimed happily as she and May high-fived each other.

"Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about!" Marie yelled in excitement as Lee pulled up next to her, victorious. Lee and May climbed out of the Mustang and waited for the loser to approach them. Kevin slowly and painfully crawled out of the ditch, where his motorcycle was left a horrible wreck of twisted metal. He climbed weakly to his feet and stumbled aimlessly toward the Kankers, who all had grins on their faces.

"Fucking assholes... you could've killed me!" Kevin screamed in fury before grabbing his side, which felt like a knife had stabbed it. The Kankers started laughing at him, much to his disbelief. "What the hell is so funny?" he screamed at them. He could barely believe what was happening; the Kankers were yucking it up like this was some kind of game, even after they had almost ended his life.

"You are, dipwad. Seeing you whine like a little bitch over a few cuts and bruises is priceless," Marie taunted before breaking out into another round of laughter.

"Alright, asshole, we won, you lost, so beat it while we collect our prize..." Lee threatened before motioning for Marie and May to grab Eddy. Kevin sneered.

"Fine..." Kevin muttered, just happy that he didn't have to suffer like Eddy was about to. Kevin began to walk slowly back toward the cul-de-sac, each step more painful than the last. May and Marie scooped up Eddy's limp body and dragged him over to the Mustang, Lee quickly opening the passenger side door. They threw Eddy in the back, where he landed surprisingly gracefully in the back seat on the driver's side. Lee climbed in and sat next to Eddy in the back, May quickly taking her seat back at the passenger side.

"Alright, Marie, I guess you can drive, but you better drive good, cause I'll knock a tooth out of your mouth for every scratch you get on it," Lee growled.

"I'd like to see you try," Marie retorted before climbing into the driver's seat and shutting the door. Marie looked back at Lee, who was busy admiring Eddy's motionless form. "Alright, where are we gonna take little old Eddy to have some fun with him?" Marie asked before licking her lips. The three of them could barely contain their excitement; ever since Marie had explained to May the truth behind the situation, Marie and Lee knew they finally could stop holding back on the Eds, which the two of them had been doing for May's sake, since she had believed that harming the Eds too seriously would make them stop loving her and her sisters. But now that May held no delusions about the Eds and love, they could do whatever they pleased to the Eds. And that was like the second coming for them.

"How about we go for a little camping trip in the woods? I'm sure Eddy will be thrilled when he wakes up all snuggled up with us in a romantic place like that!" May suggested, causing Lee to grin.

"Now you're talking, May. You heard her, Marie, let's take Eddy for a romp in the woods," Lee said lustfully as she began to stroke Eddy's cheek. Marie nodded before turning back around to face the road. The Mustang slowly pulled away from the Candy Shop, leaving the town in silence, save for a few sirens that sounded in the distance, slowly growing louder as they neared the site of an accident.

* * *

Edd had exited his house for the first time in days, but it was for good reason. Eddy had made it clear that he was going into town to meet up with Kevin, who apparently was going to buy jawbreakers for the Eds as an apology for all the things he put them through. Eddy hadn't been in the cul-de-sac since morning. It was eleven o'clock at night. Normally Edd's parents would want him inside, especially since it was getting late, but they were, once again, not home, both of them being on some sort of business trips. Edd thought at first that Eddy might've hidden himself somewhere so that he could have all the jawbreakers for himself, which was just like Eddy; after all, the Eds hadn't had jawbreakers in years, and he knew Eddy would probably want to savor this moment for a long time. Edd instantly dismissed this idea when he saw Kevin come back to the cul-de-sac looking really angry and horribly injured. Edd didn't know what exactly had happened between Eddy and Kevin, but he knew by the looks of Kevin that it couldn't of been good.

His mind had raced with horrible images and ideas of what could've happened. Perhaps Kevin and Eddy got in a huge fight and Kevin left Eddy in town laying on the ground in pain; he thought that might explain why Kevin looked so horribly injured, but he quickly threw out that idea when he realized that Eddy wasn't much of a fighter, and there's no way he could possibly do that much damage to Kevin. So Edd was left with very little in the way of options, at least until he had heard news from some of the other kids that Kevin's motorcycle had been found laying in a ditch and destroyed beyond repair. The authorities didn't know whose motorcycle it was, so Edd assumed they simply cleaned up the wreckage and are now searching for the owner. Edd knew, of course, that even if Kevin was questioned by the authorities, he probably wouldn't own up to it; his parents would most likely be very furious with him for wrecking his new bike, meaning that Kevin would most likely lie and say that the bike the authorities found wasn't his. Of course, it would only be a matter of time until his parents wised up and realized he was lying, so he was sure Kevin would do anything he could to replace that bike.

That being said, at least in Edd's mind, he was left with very little in the way of options. It all seemed like a mystery to him and left him with two burning questions: why was Kevin in an accident, and where was Eddy? "This is quite a conundrum... I wish I had someone to talk to about all this... someone to help me figure out what exactly is going on," Edd wondered aloud as he gazed around at the cul-de-sac, observing the dark houses all around him. He realized he wasn't the only out that night. Across the street he could see someone pacing around their driveway, although it was very hard to see exactly who it was. He knew who it was, however. It was Kevin. And by the quickness of his pacing, he was very nervous, perhaps even scared. Edd hesitated a moment before standing up. He wanted answers, and Kevin was going to provide. Edd carefully made his way down his lawn and crossed the street quickly. Kevin suddenly stopped pacing and turned around to face Edd. Edd noticed that Kevin was very much out of it; it was obvious he was still thinking about what he was going to do about his motorcycle, so he didn't instantly register Edd's presence.

"What do you want?" Kevin asked angrily. It was clear he wasn't in the mood to deal with Edd, but Edd really didn't care. This was about the safety of his friend, and he was going to get answers.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Kevin, but earlier today, Eddy informed me that you had become apologetic for all the things you had done to us and had invited to meet him in town to give him a present of some kind. I haven't seen him, however. Do you know where he is?" Edd asked in a rushed but polite manner. Kevin sucked his teeth and rolled his eyes.

"What am I, his nanny? Look, Double Dweeb, I know you ain't dumb like that short little toad, so let me give you a hint: I lied about wanting to make up, and that dork was stupid enough to believe me. And I don't know where the hell Eddy is, and frankly, I don't give a damn," Kevin said harshly before crossing his arms.

"I knew it. I knew you would pull some underhanded tactic on Eddy. I knew you were too hotheaded and stubborn to atone for your misdeeds," Edd accused as Kevin stared at him, his face slowly turning red with anger. "But I'll save my lecture for later. Just tell me where Eddy is and what you did to him so I can go get him," Edd suggested; he suddenly became confused, however, when Kevin's face lost the red glow of anger and was replaced by the pale glow of fear and regret.

"I... well..." Kevin stammered as he rubbed the back of his head.

"What... what did you do to him, Kevin?" Edd asked, fearing for his friends life. "Oh god... no... please don't tell me you-"

"No, it's not that... I didn't kill him, okay?" Kevin said, relieving Edd of his fears. "I didn't hurt the little dork either, to tell the truth."

"Then what did you do to him if you didn't hurt him?" Edd asked. Edd was sure that Kevin had, at the very least, harmed Eddy in some way, but, by the looks of it, Kevin had done something far worse to Eddy than anything he could possibly do with his fists. Kevin's anger soon returned at the question, and he clenched his fists.

"Look, I want no part of this, Double D. If you're so worried about dorky, you go and find him. I've got more important things to worry about," Kevin retorted before storming off back into his house. Edd looked after Kevin in disbelief; he didn't know what happened in town, but whatever it was, it wasn't good for Eddy.

"Lord, please let Eddy be save," Edd prayed quietly before beginning to walk back to his house. It was far too late to search for Eddy, but he was determined that he would begin asking around and searching as soon as he woke up in the morning.

* * *

The first thing Eddy felt when he opened his eyes was a sharp pain in his forehead. The pain struck him so hard and fast that he clenched his eyes shut just as fast as he had opened them. He put his hands on his head as the pain intensified; it felt like a knife had been wedged right into the center of his forehead. He managed to open one of his eyes a little, but he couldn't make out anything. Everything was a blob of colors; the only thing he was sure of was that it was almost night, as he could see a little light being cast from the sun with his very limited vision. He realized his was laying on the ground, as he could feel blades of grass tickling the sides of his head as he lay there motionless. As his vision cleared up a little more, he could see that some of the shapes were trees that stretched for over his head. "Forest," Eddy moaned as the pain in his head flared up again. He suddenly froze in fear when he heard three very familiar voices. But not familiar in a good way. At the sound of the voices, Eddy's entire body told him to run. He even managed to lift himself up a little, but the sharp pain in his head caused him to fall back to the ground. Suddenly he felt a pressure on his pelvis, and he realized that something was pinning him down. He reached downwards to feel what it was, but then something suddenly grabbed hold of his arms and forced them over his head and held them in place. His vision suddenly cleared up, and the first thing to come into focus was Lee Kanker's grinning face. That was not something Eddy wanted to wake up to.

"Kankers," Eddy hissed on reflex causing Lee's grin to widen. Lee was sitting on top of him, pinning him to the ground, and it was obvious she had no intention of getting off of him. He tried to move his arms to push her off of him, but he realized they were still being held behind him. He tried to lean his head back to see what was pinning his arms down, and was dismayed to see Marie behind him holding his arms in a vice-like grip. May was laying down on the grass beside Marie, kicking her legs back and forth carelessly as she looked on at Eddy and her sisters. _Fuck _was all Eddy could think as he realized the situation he was in. He was alone in the woods, trapped with the Kanker sisters and no escape. _Just like old times _he thought. He had been in this situation so many times before it was getting old. But then these were not old times, and this wasn't the same exact situation. It had been a very a long time since the Kankers had caught the Eds, much to the Eds' delight and the Kankers' dismay. He knew it was only a matter of time before something like this happened; and he knew the Kankers would make Eddy pay for managing to escape from them so many times. He shuddered to think what the Kankers had done to him while he had been unconscious, and he feared even more what they were going to do to him now that he was awake. He was just thankful he had woken up with his clothes still on.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Lee began as she put her hands on his chest and leaned forward to give Eddy a peck on the cheek. Eddy tried to crane his head away, but, being pinned down, he was forced to lay motionless while Lee kissed him on the cheek. "Been a long time since the last time we had a little _alone time_ with you, Eddy."

"Not long enough," Eddy choked out, his fear getting the better of him. Lee grabbed him by his neck and held his head in place as she began to move in for another kiss. Eddy wasn't about to let her get another one in. He spit in her face, causing her to pull away quickly.

"So that's how it's gonna be. Well, luckily for you, I like playing rough," Lee asserted after wiping Eddy's spit off of her face. She suddenly lunged forward, wrapped her arms around Eddy's head, and then forced her lips onto his. Eddy began to squirm around under her, trying to force her off of him with his body, but it was no use. He couldn't stand to have Lee's dry lips on his, to have no way to move away or escape from her lip lock. She finally pulled away after what seemed like several minutes, and Eddy quickly turned his head and began to spit, wanting to be rid of the taste of Lee's mouth on his. "Don't like the way I taste? Alright then, Marie, how about you give it a try," Lee said before grinning.

"My _pleasure_," Marie said breathlessly before leaning down from behind Eddy.

"Wait-" was all Eddy could choke out before she pressed her lips to his. Eddy tried to break free, but Marie took one of her hands and wrapped her fingers around his throat, holding his head in place. His eyes widened as she forced her tongue into his mouth. He wanted to clamp his teeth shut and bite it off, to make her pay, but he knew that would be a bad idea in the long run. She began to explore his mouth, causing him to jerk his body back and forth as he tried to break free. He felt like he couldn't breath. He hated the feeling of Marie's tongue in his mouth. She tasted like stale smoke and cigarettes. He hated the feeling of being violated and being able to do nothing about it. Marie finally relented and released his mouth, causing him to inhale loudly, his chest rising and falling quickly.

"Was I too much for you, Eddy?" Marie mocked before giggling, her sisters joining in.

"Let me go you sick fucks!" Eddy yelled at the top of his lungs. He didn't expect the Kankers to comply, but he was hoping that someone, by chance, would hear him screaming. "I said let me go!" Eddy yelled again. The Kankers just kept on laughing, much to his dismay.

"Go ahead, scream louder, I get off on that," Lee taunted before moving in for another kiss. Eddy turned his head away, but, once again, was forced by Lee to face her, and she gave him another long, amorous kiss before withdrawing.

"Sto-" Eddy stammered before Lee went in again. May and Marie watched silently, each of them growing restless as they watched Lee draw in Eddy for another kiss. May bit her lip as she watched Eddy squirming under Lee as they sucked face.

"Lee, when is going to be my turn?" May whined, feeling left out. Lee stopped kissing Eddy, giving him a much needed breather, and sat up.

"Hey, he's my man, and I'll decide who gets to touch him and when," Lee said, laying down the law. Eddy had had enough of this.

"I'm not your man, you sick fuck!" Eddy yelled angrily. He now knew how he was going to get out of this. "When are you Kankers gonna learn that we hate you bitches! We don't love you, and we never will, so stop fooling yourselves and move on with your fucking lives!" Eddy screamed, furious. He was sick of the Kankers and their games, and he didn't care whether or not he hurt their feelings. All he knew was that the torture had to stop. Eddy began to breath in and out rapidly, trying to cool down as he waited for the inevitable wet works from the Kankers. His face turned pale and his eyes sunk in when the Kankers just laughed at him.

"Ain't that cute? The little fucker thinks we care about that stupid shit," Lee mocked, causing May and Marie to laugh lightly. Lee looked down at Eddy, a telling smile on her face as she stared him down. "Let me give you a hint so you can catch up with the class: we ain't fucking idiots. We know you, Double D, and Ed, don't love us. We know the three of you hate us. But we don't give a fuck. We're gonna have our fun, love or no love," Lee explained as she watched Eddy's face become more and more hopeless as she went on; she enjoyed every second of it. When Lee finished, she just stared at Eddy, giving him a second to respond. He couldn't. He couldn't respond because he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He always knew the Kankers were sick people, that much was obvious. But he had never realized that they knew that the love they had for the Eds wasn't mutual. He thought that the Kankers thought that they were playing hard to get. That was a fatal miscalculation, and he was paying for that miscalculation now.

"No..." Eddy muttered without thinking.

"Oh yes, and now that we're all on the same page, I think we can stop pretending and have some _real _fun," Lee said leeringly before turning her attention to May. "Alright, May, get your ass over here and help hold Eddy down," Lee ordered, causing May to quickly get off of the ground and crawl over to Eddy.

"Wait, I change my mind, I take it back, I am your man!" Eddy said in a panicked tone as he tried to wiggle free.

"Calm down, Eddy, you're gonna enjoy this," Marie said lustfully before scooting forward, lifting up Eddy's head, crossing her legs and laying his head in her lap. "That's much better," Marie whispered to Eddy as she stroked his cheek. May crawled to Eddy's feet and held them in place. Eddy couldn't move any part of his body; Marie had his arms and head, May had his legs, and Lee was pinning down his midsection.

"Now let's see just how much of a man you really are," Lee said before reaching downwards. Eddy wasn't sure of what she meant until she started to unzip his jeans. Eddy's eyes widened and he gasped loudly.

"No, stop!" Eddy wailed as he tried to squirm around, but he knew it would do no good. Lee finished unzipping his pants and moved on to the button. "Please, I'll give you anything if you just let me go! Don't do this!" Eddy begged. Lee wouldn't listen to his pleas. She just looked at him, her lips slightly parted as she unbuttoned his jeans, revealing a set of blue boxers he had on.

"Aw, I was hoping he was wearing that leopard skin underwear we found in his room before," Marie joked, causing Lee and May to laugh. Eddy didn't find it funny. None of this was funny to him. The Kankers were acting like this was some sort of game to them, like it wasn't anything serious. Eddy felt like he was on edge. He didn't notice, but he had tears streaming down his cheeks. The Kankers noticed.

"Stop being a fucking baby and man up," Lee ordered, still grinning, as Eddy continued to cry. He didn't want to. He was supposed to be the strong, manly Ed. He was supposed to be the one who was too strong and too stubborn to ever give in and start bawling. But he couldn't help it. This was just too much, even for him. He now knew what had happened to Edd that he couldn't tell him; he knew why Edd had acted so weird, why he wanted to be away from everyone so he could cry in peace. Because that's exactly what Eddy wanted to do. He wanted to go home, shut his door, and just cry until he couldn't cry anymore. But unlike Edd, he couldn't escape. Eddy was trapped, and he would be forced to watch as the Kankers did whatever they wanted to him. He so badly wanted to see Ed and Edd; hell, he'd even settle for Sarah, Jimmy, Nazz, Rolf, Jonny, even Kevin of all people.

"Stop... please...stop," Eddy managed to say, his voice choking up. Lee shook her head, causing more tears to slide down his face.

"I don't think so, Eddy, not until I see what you've been keeping from us all these years," Lee said before beginning to slide her hand into Eddy's underwear. Eddy clamped his eyes shut as Lee's hand began to slide all the way into his underwear. He couldn't bear it. He felt like he was going to die. So he tried to find solace in the dark void of his shut eyelids. Lee suddenly stopped when Marie spoke up.

"Hold on a sec, Lee," Marie said out of the blue, causing Lee to stop.

"What the hell is it, Marie? I was just getting to the good part!" Lee complained. Marie mouthed 'you'll see' to Lee.

"Oh, Eddy," Marie said as she stared downwards at Eddy, who slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. He didn't say anything, he just gave her a pleading and scared look. "Why don't you just calm down and enjoy this, huh? Why are you freaking out so bad?" Marie asked. Eddy swallowed some spit, trying to wet his dry throat.

"I... fucking hate you," Eddy answered quietly, causing Marie to smile a little. He wished Lee would take her hand out of his boxers. She hadn't touched anything, but he'd be damned if she tried to sneak a little grab in while Marie was talking to him, which was still confusing the hell out of him. Why did she care whether or not he enjoyed this?

"Does it matter what we think of each other? You might hate us, Eddy... but..." Marie began, causing Eddy, Lee, and May to perk up in interest. None of them knew where Marie was going with this. "That doesn't mean that you don't have to enjoy yourself," Marie suggested.

"What... what the hell are you talking about?" Eddy asked, genuinely confused.

"Come on, Eddy, think about it. You're alone in the woods with three girls who are willing to do anything with you, and you're sitting here and whining like a bitch," Marie explained as Eddy listened intently. "This is what you've always wanted, isn't it? I mean, isn't this better than those dirty magazines you jack off to all the time?" Marie asked him, taking Eddy by surprise as his face turned red; Lee and May couldn't help but giggle a little.

"I... uh... don't know what you're..." Eddy began to mumble, embarrassment overtaking him. He hadn't realized the Kankers had been through his room, or maybe even saw him when he was alone with his magazines.

"No need to be ashamed, Eddy. I understand. We understand," Marie said as she looked up at her sisters, who were finally understanding where she was going with this. "All we want to do is help you, Eddy. We help you..." Marie said before stroking Eddy's cheek. "... and you help us," Marie whispered lustfully. Eddy stared up at her in disbelief as he absorbed all of what she said to him. He didn't know what to think. A part of him knew that he hated the Kankers, that he would never willingly give in to them, no matter what. It wasn't just a matter of hating them, it was a matter of his friends' trust as well. He would never give in to the Kankers because he'd be betraying Ed and Edd, and he couldn't bring himself to do that. But then... then there was a part of him that was thinking about something completely different. It was a dark, carnal part of Eddy. And it was begging him to give in. It was screaming at him, calling him an idiot for resisting. Asking him over and over again why he wouldn't do it. It started to argue that Marie was right; that the Kankers could help Eddy. They could satisfy. And there were no strings attached. It asked him _Isn't that what you've always wanted? Pleasure with no consequences?_

"I... I..." Eddy stuttered, the battle in his head still raging on. Eddy didn't know what to say. Marie did. She laid a finger on Eddy's mouth and leaned in close to his face.

"And no one has to know, Eddy. We can do everything you've ever dreamed of, and we won't tell a soul. It'll be our little secret," Marie whispered. Eddy stared back at her. Eddy's lip trembled a little. He couldn't. He couldn't give in. He couldn't betray Ed and Edd. He couldn't betray himself. He hated the Kankers. He would never give in to them. But Marie told him that he could. That he could give in. That she and her sisters understand. That they just want to help him. Eddy was on the edge; every fantasy he had every imagined, every girl he had ever seen in his magazines... but they weren't in his life. They weren't real. But here were three girls who could satisfy him like his magazines couldn't.

Eddy looked up at the Kankers. They watched him thoughtfully and lustfully. Eddy caved. "Okay," he whispered. He had lost the battle.


	6. Reins

**Authors Note: **_Alright, here's chapter six. Please read, and, if you have the time, review!_

* * *

Morning light streamed through the small window of Ed's room. Ed sat on the edge of his bed, a solemn look on his face. He had never been so bored in his life. His parents had taken everything from him, courtesy of Sarah; they had taken his television, his comfy chair, his posters, his toys, his hobby kits, his sponges, they had drained his tub of all it's gravy, and, worst of all, they had made him do the unthinkable: they had forced him to clean his room. His room was cleaner than it had ever been, but that was painful for Ed; he had loved the filth. He felt like every little piece of filth was to be cared for and nurtured. He felt like everything that was in his room was special, even if it was just a speck of dirt, some grime on the wall, or some mold growing on his bed. Speaking of which, his parents had bought him a new bed, with clean sheets, a nice pillow, and a headboard. He hated his new bed. He missed his old bed, and he wanted it back.

He had thought about disobeying his parents and trying to save as much of the filth as possibly by hiding under his bed or putting in the walls, but they had let Sarah watch over him and make sure that he cleaned his room. And boy did Sarah enjoy watching Ed suffer. Where every banana peel and old chicken leg thrown away was painful for Ed, it was pure pleasure for Sarah. He didn't understand why she wanted to see him like that. He didn't know why she liked seeing him in pain and suffering. He loved her, but it seemed like she hated him for no reason other than to hate him. Ed wished he could ask Sarah why, but he couldn't. He had been grounded for a month, so he was stuck in his room, his clean, spotless room, for a while, meaning that contact with anyone, especially his two best friends, was strictly forbidden. He had thought about sneaking out, but, once again, Sarah was constantly watching, making sure that her big brother had no fun whatsoever.

Ed's thoughts were interrupted when his door swung open rapidly to reveal Sarah, who looked in a very good mood. She flashed Ed a mocking smile. "Ed, you have a visitor," Sarah said before motioning for someone to come down to Ed's room. Although Ed was certainly not happy to see Sarah, he was curious about who could possibly be coming to see him; after all, he knew Sarah would never let Edd or Eddy come and visit him when he was grounded, so he knew it had to be someone else. His face sunk in when he saw who it was; Nazz joined Sarah at the doorway, and she had a sour look on her face, which contrasted nicely with Sarah's grin, although, now that Nazz was here, she tried to keep it hidden. "Mom says you have to say sorry to Nazz for being a dirty little pervert," Sarah explained as she motioned for Nazz to step into Ed's room. Nazz walked over to Ed's bed and stopped a few feet away from him, her arms crossed. Ed looked up at Nazz, who had a very condescending look on her face. Ed couldn't help but don a guilty look, knowing that he was indeed guilty of spying on Nazz.

"Ed," Nazz began as she stared down at him; she made him feel so tiny, which was funny since Ed was so much bigger than her. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Ed looked behind Nazz, and saw that Sarah was still watching from the doorway, meaning that he couldn't tattle on her for sending him to steal Nazz's brush; he knew Sarah's wrath was something that he definitely didn't want to experience again.

"I... I'm sorry," Ed said as he looked at the ground, his face turning red; he was too ashamed to look her in the face. "I... I was in your room because I... well..." Ed tried to think of a reasonable excuse, although lie was definitely a better term. He tried to think like Eddy, who was a master of deceit. "I wanted to steal your brush because I wanted to brush Victor," Ed began, gathering to courage to look back to Nazz's face. "When you came in, I got scared and I hid under your bed. I didn't mean to look at you naked, honest!" Ed said, pleading his case. He hoped his lie was good enough to fool Nazz; he stared into her eyes, donning a pleading, begging look. It worked.

"Oh, I can't stay mad at you," Nazz said before patting him on the head, much to Sarah's dismay. "Just ask next time you need something, Ed. Stealing is wrong and I hope you know that. It's also wrong to spy on people, so don't do that again either," Nazz said, explaining it as if she was talking to a child; although, to many of the kids, Ed was just like a child. Many people figured he didn't understand what he was doing most of the time, which was definitely what Nazz was thinking as she forgave Ed for his wrongdoings. "I'm glad we had this talk, Ed. See you around!" Nazz said as she walked past Sarah and left, Sarah looking on in disbelief. When he saw Sarah's expression, he knew he was gonna regret Nazz's forgiving him and not scolding him. Sarah began to turn beet red. She stomped over to Ed and grabbed the collar of his jacket; she pulled him close to her face and brought him eye to eye with her.

"What the hell was that, huh?" Sarah screamed right into Ed's face. Ed started to turn pale, fearing that Sarah might flip out and start hitting him; he had denied her the pleasure of seeing Nazz yell at him, and she was going to get revenge.

"Please, Sarah, don't hurt me!" Ed begged as he shrunk backwards. "I just didn't want Nazz to hate me..." Ed explained to the fuming little girl. Ed didn't know why he said what he did next, but he knew he would regret it. "... like you do." Sarah suddenly threw Ed backwards, causing him to hit his head on the wall next to his bed. She began to huff, drawing big gulps of air in and exhaling it out very quickly.

"You want to know why I hate you? It's because you're a big idiot who doesn't know anything! I wish you weren't my brother!" Sarah screamed at him before turning around and stomping off. This was the part where Ed regretted what he had said to her. The pain of those six words sunk into Ed like the fangs of a poisonous snake: _I wish you weren't my brother_. Ed felt like crying. So he did. Hot tears started to stream down his face as he curled up on his bed, the hateful words that Sarah had said to him repeating over and over in his head. He couldn't belief it. Edd was wrong. He told him that Sarah treated him the way she did because she loved him but didn't know how to show it. No. He knew the truth now. Sarah treated him the way she did because she hated him and knew exactly how to show it.

* * *

Edd stepped outside of his house to fetch the mail from the mailbox, seeing as his parents had left for work already and would probably forget about it when they got home anyway. He strolled across his lawn, many thoughts swirling around in his head as he made his way to the mailbox. He suddenly froze when he looked across the street and saw Eddy lounging on his front porch. He stared at Eddy for what seemed like forever, letting the sight sink in. He had been worrying about Eddy all night and all morning, and there he was, chilling on his front porch nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. Edd quickly forgot about his mail and walked across the street, hoping to find out exactly where Eddy had been. Eddy noticed Edd's journey across the street and quickly stood up to greet him. "What's up, Double D?" Eddy greeted; Edd noted that Eddy seemed strangely happy.

"Er... hello, Eddy," Edd greeted back. "Where were you yesterday?" Edd asked.

"Oh... that," Eddy stammered as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well shovelchin's jerkass decided to put me up as a bet in some stupid ass race he had with the Kankers, and he lost," Eddy explained as Edd listened intently. "So the Kankers had me pinned down out in the woods, but luckily I was able to wrestle free and get away," Eddy finished, causing Edd to sigh in relief.

"Thank God for that, Eddy. When you said the Kankers had gotten you, I feared for the worst. I guess our luck might be better than I originally imagined," Edd responded as he smiled. "But how did you manage to break free? I don't mean to sound insulting, but all three of the Kankers are far stronger than either you or me."

"I guess I caught them off guard. I don't think they thought I'd actually try to break free," Eddy told Edd, who seemed to accept that answer. "Well since we're asking each other questions, can you finally tell me why the hell you were acting so weird and locking yourself up in your house and shit?" Eddy asked. Edd's smile faltered a little, but he decided that it was a good a time as any to tell Eddy, especially since it would fit in nicely with his plans.

"Sit down, Eddy, I think I'd feel better if we were both comfortable before I started," Edd suggested. Eddy complied and took a seat on his porch, Edd quickly joining him. "Well... the night we were trying to take Kevin's bike back from the Kankers, I had found it in front of their trailer. Unfortunately, I didn't spot Marie, and she quickly grabbed me and had pinned up against the trailer," Edd began, although it was clear that relaying the incident was hard on him. "She then tried to... well... she..." Edd stuttered as he tried to think of a good way to explain exactly what happened without being too blunt about it. Eddy took the hint that he was having trouble and decided to help him.

"Did she... try to grab you?" Eddy asked. Edd shut up and nodded, thankful that Eddy had finished his story for him.

"And I just freaked out. I should've known something like that would happen eventually, but I guess I hadn't mentally prepared myself properly for when it actually did occur," Edd rationalized as Eddy nodded in understanding. "And I don't know how, but I managed to wrench one of my arms free, I guess since she was so distracted by the task at hand, and punch her," Edd said, garnering a smile out of Eddy.

"Hey, at least you made her pay for trying to do that to you," Eddy joked before slapping Edd on the back.

"Either way, I do regret my decision. I abhor violence, but I feel like I had no other choice. Even then, I know that the consequences of my actions will probably be severe. Who knows what Marie will do to me if she gets the chance," Edd thought aloud as he looked at Eddy. "Well, I'm just happy that Marie and her sisters didn't try to take it out on you, and even if they were going to, you escaped." Eddy turned away for a moment before sighing and turning back to Edd.

"Yeah, I'm happy too. But I'd like to just take my mind off of it. What do you say we go grab Ed and hang out for once? It's been a while, and, with all the shit that's been going on with Kevin and the Kankers, it'd be a nice break away from our troubles," Eddy suggested. Edd seemed to think the idea over.

"I won't lie, I absolutely love the idea, but Ed is grounded, if you'll recall. It would be suicide to try to get Ed out his house; Sarah's probably watching over him very closely," Edd explained.

"Damn, I forgot about that..." Eddy muttered, remembering the incident with Ed and Nazz. "Well why don't we go break out Ed like we always do?"

"As much as I hate disobeying the authority of Ed's parents, you know I would normally help break out Ed as I have on many other occasions. It's just that... well, to be completely honest, I really wish to avoid causing any more problems for ourselves..." Edd began, finding this to be the perfect opportunity to unveil his plan to Eddy. "In fact, I think it's about time we set out to start solving the problems we already have."

"What do you mean?" Eddy asked, as if Edd had already made himself clear enough.

"What I mean, Eddy, is that we start trying to mend the broken pieces of our lives and fix all of the problems that we experience on a daily basis," Edd explained, hoping that Eddy could grasp where he was going with this.

"I guess... but how exactly are we gonna do that?" Eddy asked, still skeptical.

"I do have a few ideas that I've written down, and if you're not busy with something, I'd like you to come over my house so I can discuss them with you. It'd be nice to get your opinion on them," Edd explained.

"Well, I have nothing better to do; but these ideas better be pretty damn good, because we've tried a lot of shit in the past to get all these pricks to like us and none of them worked," Eddy complained before standing up, Edd quickly doing the same.

"Let's hope they are, Eddy. I don't think you, me, or Ed will be able to take much more of the punishment we have to endure every day. Now, if you will, follow me so I can share some of my thoughts with you," Edd said before hurrying toward his house, Eddy close behind him.

* * *

Jimmy hummed happily as he stood over the stove in his house, his hand on the handle of a pan as he watched over an omelet that both looked and smelled delicious. He quickly turned his attention to a nearby radio and turned it on, and a pop song started playing. He took his hand off of the pan and began to dance around happily. Jimmy was in a very good mood; his parents had finally entrusted him to make his own breakfast, which was quite the big leap in responsibility for Jimmy, whose mom usually babied him; his dad had finally talked her into letting him do some things for himself, and cooking for himself was one of them. Jimmy stopped dancing when he heard his doorbell ring. He quickly turned off the radio, made sure the omelet was cooking properly, and then hurried to the door, hating to keep whoever it was waiting. He opened his front door, and, to his delight, there stood his best friend Sarah. He noticed that she wasn't smiling, and actually looked a bit angry. He decided to hide his happiness from earlier and replace it with a look and air of concern. "Hi, Sarah. Are you okay?" Jimmy asked as he stared at the fuming girl.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," Sarah before sighing. "Well, are you gonna invite me in?" she asked impatiently.

"Uh, yeah, come on in," Jimmy asked. He knew Sarah was lying about being okay, because she was normally polite to him most of the time. Sarah, smelling the omelet Jimmy was cooking, quickly made her way into the kitchen and sat down at his kitchen table.

"Smells good, Jimmy, is your mom making an omelet or something?" Sarah asked, trying to start a conversation to get her mind off of Ed.

"Nope! I'm doing it all by myself!" Jimmy bragged as he walked over to the stove and went back to making sure the omelet was cooking properly.

"Big deal, my mom let's me cook by myself all the time," Sarah responded aggressively. Jimmy rolled his eyes before turning around to face Sarah, who was leaning on the table with an angry expression on her face.

"Sarah, is everything really okay?" Jimmy asked. He wasn't pretending to be concerned anymore, he really was. Sarah sighed before leaning back in the chair.

"Well..." Sarah began as she wondered whether or not to tell Jimmy. "Alright, I guess I'll tell you. It's my stupid brother."

"What about him?" Jimmy asked.

"Well, other than being an idiot as usual, he managed to get Nazz to accept his apology. I mean, I wanted to see her chew his ass out!" Sarah fumed as she threw her arms in the air. "Not only that, but he had the nerve to say that I hate him! Well, what if I do? He probably hates me as much as I hate him!" Sarah yelled, her anger getting the better of her. "He just needs to learn his place, and that's doing whatever I tell him! That's all he's good for anyway!"

"Calm down, Sarah," Jimmy said gently before laying his hand on Sarah's shoulder. He definitely didn't want her to get into one of her fits; she could be quite destructive once she got going. "If you get angry like this, then Ed wins!" Jimmy exclaimed. Sarah nodded in agreement and began to cool down.

"You're right, and I ain't gonna let that pinhead get the better of me," Sarah said as she stood up. "Look, I'm sorry for barging in here all mad and crap. How about we eat that omelet you made and then go have some fun?" Sarah suggested, trying to regain her composure and find a way to get her mind off of Ed.

"Sounds good, girlfriend!" Jimmy exclaimed cheerfully before going to get some plates and forks, happy that Sarah was now in a good mood.

* * *

Kevin laid stretched out on the grass by the creek as he stared up at the massive, cloudless blue sky that stretched on forever around him. He had come out here to clear his head, but all he could think about was how he was going to get another motorcycle. His old one was a complete wreck, and it had been cleaned up by authorities when they found it lying on the side of the road. He had to lie to his parents and tell them that he had taken it to an auto shop to get it repaired. He definitely couldn't tell the authorities that the bike was his, and he prayed that the license plate on the motorcycle had been completely destroyed so they couldn't find out whose it was. If his parents found out what he had done, he would probably be grounded for months, and there was no way in hell his dad would buy him another motorcycle if he found out what happened to the old one.

Kevin knew he couldn't lose his parents' trust, so he figured he'd have to find a way to get enough money to pay for a new motorcycle. He didn't have a job, so that was out of the question, and even if he did get one, he never make enough money in time to pay for a new motorcycle without his parents getting suspicious. He considered taking up a loan to buy another motorcycle, but that would be difficult as well because he'd have to pay back the loan, so either way he'd have to get a job; and even then, it might take weeks to find a place that would accept him. It felt like he was stuck with no way out; but Kevin wasn't the type to go down without a fight, so he knew he'd have to try something, anything before his parents found out. Kevin sat up when he heard voices approaching the creek. He saw Nazz and Rolf walking toward him, both of them with swim wear on; Rolf had a pair of red trunks on, and Nazz had a white two piece on. "Hey, Kev, what are you doing out here?" Nazz greeted and she and Rolf stopped in front of him. Nazz was carrying a towel and some sunscreen, and Rolf had a big beach ball with him.

"I just needed some peace and quiet for a little while," Kevin said. "Anyway, you guys are going swimming and you didn't invite me?" Kevin asked playfully.

"We searched high low for you, Kevin, but like my papa's hair you were no where to be found," Rolf explained, causing Nazz and Kevin to giggle.

"Alright, well let me run back to my place and grab some trunks," Kevin said before hopping to his feet and starting for the cul-de-sac. "I'll be back in no time!" Kevin exclaimed before running away.

"See ya soon, Kevin!" Nazz yelled as she waved to him.

* * *

Eddy sat impatiently on Edd's bed, waiting for the sockheaded Ed to finish digging around in his closet for his notebook with all of his ideas written on it. "Come on, Double D, did you stuff that shit in a safe or something?" Eddy asked.

"Hold on, Eddy, I think I put it in here..." Edd's muffled voice said from the closet as he moved to a different section and began searching. "Ah, there it is!" Edd exclaimed before pulling the notebook out of a cardboard box in his closet. He closed the closet and then, notebook in hand, joined Eddy on his bed. "Now then, before we go about reviewing these ideas, I want you to know that these are just that: ideas. We don't have to try any of them if they won't work," Edd explained as Eddy listened carefully.

"Alright..." Eddy answered hesitantly, unsure of whether or not he could go through with whatever Edd might tell him. Edd opened up the notebook and Eddy saw many lines of writing going up and down each page. "Damn, I thought you said you had a few things written down, not a fucking story," Eddy commented as he looked wide-eyed at all the words.

"I suppose we might have a slightly different idea of what a few ideas are," Edd said before clearing his throat. "Regardless, I'm not going to go over everything, just some of the stuff I thought would be most useful for us."

"Good, cause I ain't here for you to talk until my ears bleed," Eddy joked.

"Don't worry, I'll try to make this as brief as possible so that you'll be able to understand everything, Eddy," Edd joked back, causing Eddy to stick his tongue out at him. "So, the first thing I did was divide up the notebook into three separate sections, one for each of our 'problems'," Edd explained as turned to the first section that read 'Sarah' in large, bold, inked letters. "The first problem that we should set out to solve is Sarah, for Ed's sake."

"I guess that's a good place to start, considering that she practically has the guy by his balls, what with her being a big damn snitch and abusive to boot," Eddy responded as he thought about 'problem' in question.

"Yes, well I that's definitely the main reason why we have to settle this whole ordeal between Ed and his sister. To be frank, I think Sarah's abuse of Ed has gone on for far too long, and I think it'd be a good idea to put a stop to it as soon as we can," Edd answered before flipping over to a subsection that read 'Solutions'. "And here's how we're gonna fix it."

* * *

Ed suddenly woke up at the sound of a tap at his window, having fallen asleep after crying for so long. He looked up and his face almost burst at the seams from his huge grin; it was Edd and Eddy. "I knew you guys would come!" Ed exclaimed as he jetted to a standing position on his bed. Edd put his finger over his mouth to indicate for Ed to be quiet. "Don't worry, Double D, Sarah's not here!" Ed explained, causing Edd and Eddy to sigh with relief. Eddy motioned for Ed to come out to meet them, and Ed happily wormed his way through is window and out onto the grass of his backyard. Ed, upon standing up, immediately pulled Edd and Eddy into a big bear hug, and happily squeezed the life out of them. "I'm so glad to see you guys!" Ed said as he released his two breathless friends.

"Good to see you too, lumpy," Eddy answered as he breathed rapidly, trying his best to recover from Ed's crushing hug.

"Are you sure Sarah's not here, Ed?" Edd asked, hoping that they didn't attract her attention, which would mean big trouble for the Eds.

"Yeah, Sarah went over Jimmy's earlier, right after-" Ed stopped himself, remembering the stinging words that she had said that left him sobbing.

"Right after what?" Eddy asked.

"Uh... I forgot," Ed answered hoping to play it off as him being the forgetful lummox that he was.

"Go figure," Eddy muttered, much to Ed's relief.

"What are you guys doing here anyway? Did you come to bust me out?" Ed asked.

"We were, but since Sarah's gone, I suppose we can skip that step," Edd answered. "What we really came here for is so we could fetch you and explain to you exactly how you're going to repair the relationship between you and your sister." Ed's eyes widened.

"I don't know, guys... some... stuff happened earlier," Ed said as he rubbed the back of his head and looked away.

"What do you mean by that?" Eddy asked. "Did that little punk hurt you or some shit?"

"Kind of..." Ed answered.

"Dammit, I knew that brat couldn't keep her claws offa you. I say we forget your stupid plan, sockhead, and make her pay," Eddy responded angrily as he slammed his fist into the side of Ed's house.

"Now, now, Eddy, don't be so hasty. I'm not exactly thrilled about Sarah's conduct myself, but if we do this right, Ed, you, and I will never have to deal with Sarah and her abusive ways any longer," Edd explained. Eddy nodded slowly, his anger slowly fading. "Now, if Sarah really is at Jimmy's, then that actually fits nicely into my plans. Follow me, gentlemen," Edd said as she led the two of them back through Ed's window and into his house.

* * *

"Take that!" Jimmy yelled as he hit Sarah hard across the face... with a pillow. Sarah stumbled backwards a little, giggling, before throwing her pillow at Jimmy and hitting him square in the face, sending him flying down on his bed.

"Gotcha!" Sarah said as the two of them began laughing uncontrollably. Sarah flopped down on the bed beside him and the two of them laid there for a few moments, laughing, before eventually recovering.

"It's been so long since we've had fun like that..." Jimmy said as their laughter subsided.

"Yeah, I guess it's great to have a good pillow fight every once and a while," Sarah answered as she looked over at Jimmy, who was smiling back at her. "So, what should we do now?"

"I don't know... I'll think of something," Jimmy said slyly before suddenly leaping at Sarah and tickling her, causing her laugh sporadically.

"Stop, Jimmy!" Sarah yelled in a playful tone as he continued his tickle assault.

"You can't stop me, I'm a tickling machine!" Jimmy said mischievously as he continued to tickle her sides and belly. He suddenly stopped, much to her relief.

"Finally, I couldn't breath you big bully!" Sarah said playfully before smacking him lightly on the shoulder. Jimmy just laughed a little before falling silent and looking at Sarah. "What's wrong?" Sarah asked, sitting up as Jimmy continued to look at her.

"Well..." Jimmy began as he set up as well. He looked shyly over at her, a confused look on her face.

"Jimmy?" she asked, her voice a little quieter this time. He was acting very strange, and it was making her uncomfortable. Jimmy suddenly leaned over kissed Sarah on the lips, causing Sarah's eyes to go wide. She shoved him away, and then leaped off of the bed. "What the hell, Jimmy?" Sarah screamed, causing him to shrink away.

"Wait, Sarah, I'm sorry I... I..." Jimmy answered, his lip quivering. Everything went silent. The two of them stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity; Sarah staring at Jimmy in disbelief, and Jimmy staring at Sarah in fear. The phone suddenly rang, causing both of them to break the stare down.

"I... I should go get that, it's probably my mom. She might've got home early or something," Sarah said quickly, wanting to get away from Jimmy as soon as possible. She didn't know why he had kissed her; all she knew is that she wanted to get away from what was about to become a very uncomfortable and awkward situation. She quickly grabbed her shoes, which were by Jimmy's room's door, and then she ran to the phone and quickly answered it. "Hello?" Sarah said, hoping it was her mom.

"Sarah?" Ed answered back much to her surprise.

"Ed? I thought... I thought mom was calling," Sarah answered back, a little peeved that it was Ed instead of her mother.

"I'm sorry... I just got worried about you and I wanted to check if you were okay," Ed responded. Sarah was taken aback; it was as if Ed had intuition about her being in a very uncomfortable situation. Even worse, she was actually feeling relieved that Ed had called.

"Actually... well..." Sarah began, unsure of how to say what she wanted to. She thought about what she had said to Ed earlier. She had said she hated him. She knew she was lying, but she lied all the time. This time she was actually feeling a little ashamed of her lying. She quickly gathered up the courage to say what she wanted to. "Can you come get me, Ed?"

"Why, did something happen at Jimmy's?" Ed asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah... look, just come get me, okay? And please hurry," Sarah said as she looked around to make sure that Jimmy hadn't followed her down.

"I'll be right there, Sarah," Ed answered. Sarah was about to hang up when Ed said something else. "And Sarah? I love you." Sarah gulped. She wanted to say something back, but she didn't know how. She wanted to say anything, something. But she couldn't bring herself to. She wanted to say the same thing back to Ed, but that part of her that loved to see him suffer, that took pleasure out of seeing him in pain was begging her not to. She closed her eyes and said," I love you too, Ed." She hung up.

* * *

Sarah sat down at the kitchen table, relieved that Ed had come to her rescue and gotten her away from Jimmy. A hot cup of chocolate sat in front of her, courtesy of Ed. She slowly took a sip as Ed sat down across from her, his own cup of hot chocolate in his hand. She didn't say anything when Ed came to Jimmy's, and neither did he; he came in, they left, they came back, and he made her hot chocolate, all without a word between the two of them. Sarah looked across the table at Ed; she hated herself for it, but she was actually grateful for once that Ed was her brother. Ed took a sip of his hot chocolate and then looked back at her. Sarah decided to break the ice.

"Thanks for coming to get me, Ed," Sarah said slowly, the words seeming odd and foreign to her. Ed smiled gently.

"No problem, _big_ sister," Ed said before sipping his hot chocolate. Sarah smiled a little; he had called her 'baby-sister' for so long, and here he was acknowledging that she wasn't a baby anymore. She tried to hide her smile behind her cup, but Ed saw it; it warmed his heart to see Sarah happy with him for once. Ed decided to ask a question that was burning inside of him. "Did you... did you mean what you said over the phone?" Ed asked, unable to keep the question from coming out; he knew it might ruin the moment, but he couldn't help; Edd had even warned him not to be blunt, but his naive side got the better of him.

"Well..." Sarah said as she looked down at the cup of hot chocolate in front of her. She could see a murky, dark reflection of herself staring back at her. It was if she was looking inside of herself. That was the side of her that wanted to say _Hell no I didn't mean it, Ed, now buzz off before I tell mom you're bothering me_. In fact, that used to be the only side of her. But a new side had formed, and all because of Ed saving her from Jimmy. Well, maybe it had been there the whole time; maybe the dark side of her had been keeping it under wraps and well-guarded. Sarah was so used to Ed being stupid, so used to him being annoying, so used to him ruining everything for her, but here he had been there when she needed him most. He called to check on her, and mom wasn't even there to make him do it; he had done it because he cared about her. Sarah eyes began to tear up. She actually started to feel bad for what she had done to Ed. Everything. But that dark side of her was cursing at her, telling her to let down Ed once again and tell him how much she hated him. "I... I... look, Ed, I was just scared, okay. I wasn't thinking..." Sarah began as she made excuses for her 'slip up'. Ed's smile faded and he looked down at his hot chocolate.

"Oh..." was all Ed could say. Sarah bit her lip; she couldn't tell him what she really wanted to say. She couldn't bring herself to.

"Look, Ed, I... well.." Sarah stammered, trying to recover. She hated feeling like this. She felt weak. She felt like she wasn't in control. She suddenly realized that was the reason she liked to torture Ed so much. That was the reason she liked to see him begging not to tell mom; she liked the feeling of control. She liked feeling like she had power over Ed. And she was already missing it. The dark side of her saw this weakness and quickly went in for the kill. _Then don't let go of the reins_ it told her. She gritted her teeth. "It's none of your business whether or not I love you," Sarah began, a sudden flare of anger rising from her. "And besides, I thought I made it clear what I think of you earlier, you idiot!" Sarah suddenly got up and threw the mug of hot chocolate across the room, the cup shattering on the counter behind Ed; hot chocolate went flying everywhere, landing on the counter, floor, and oven.

"But... But..." Ed stuttered in disbelieve.

"No buts! Now clean up that mess or I'll tell mom that you did it and tried to force _me_ to clean it up!" Sarah barked at Ed, causing him to nod solemnly. He sat down his cup of hot chocolate and hurried to go fetch a towel. Sarah stood there and watched him as he returned with the towel and went to cleaning up the mess. The feeling was back. She felt her thirst for power being quenched. Her need for control was being fueled. And it felt good.

* * *

"I can't believe that fucking bitch," was all Eddy could think to say as he, Edd, and Ed sat in Ed's room, trying to be as quiet as possible so that Sarah couldn't hear them. Ed sat on his bed, hunched up in the corner, a sad expression on his face. Edd sat next to him and gently patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ed... you were so close to breaking her, I know it," Edd reasoned as he tried to quell Ed's sadness. "You have to understand that Sarah's probably been so used to mistreating you for so long that she got defensive and overreacted to the feelings that she was experiencing for you," Edd explained further. Ed's demeanor didn't change.

"Yeah, or it could be that Sarah is just a humongous asshole," Eddy quipped, much to Edd's dismay.

"Eddy!" Edd seethed at Eddy, who seemed to be trying to sabotage his attempts at cheering up Ed.

"Hey, I'm just trying to consider all the possibilities here, and that's one of them," Eddy retorted.

"Maybe Eddy's right, Double D," Ed suddenly spoke up, much to Edd and Eddy's surprise. "Maybe Sarah is just a mean person who wants to see me suffer..."

"Ed, no, it isn't like that! I'm telling you, your sister just doesn't know how to respond to you acting very loving toward her," Edd said, trying to put down Ed's feelings of helplessness. Eddy sighed. He was getting tired of this.

"Look, Double D, maybe now isn't the time to deal with Sarah. Maybe we should just move onto some of our other problems," Eddy suggested. Edd nodded slowly in agreement.

"I suppose you're right... it will give Sarah some time to cool off before Ed tries again," Edd said as he looked over at Ed, who avoided his stare. "Right, Ed?" Edd asked, hoping that Ed wasn't thinking of dropping out of his plans. Ed looked back at Edd and slowly nodded. "Good. Well then, let me see here," Edd mumbled as he thought about what they should do next. "We could always try to deal with Kevin and the hatred he has for us," Edd suggested as he looked over Eddy; both he and Eddy knew that, although Kevin certainly hated all three of the Eds, that Eddy was the main focus of his undying hatred for the Eds.

"I don't know, Double D... after seeing what happened between Ed and his sister when we tried to 'fix it', I really don't want to see what's going to happen to me, or even all three of us, if we try to be nice to Kevin," Eddy said fearfully.

"Look, I know this first trial of ours is extremely disheartening, but we can't give up this early. Just because we didn't succeed with Sarah the first time doesn't mean we won't succeed at all, and the same goes for Kevin," Edd reasoned, Eddy hesitantly agreeing with him. "Besides, would you rather we go ahead and try to fix our Kanker problem, which is arguably the worst of the three?" Edd asked, knowing it was very much a rhetorical question. Eddy winced at the mention of their name. He suddenly went silent, as if he was in thought about something, and Edd most certainly noticed. "What's wrong, Eddy?" Eddy snapped back to attention.

"Oh... sorry, I was just thinking about all the shit those bitches did to us," Eddy lied, trying his best to feign anger.

"Well please don't let your mind do that too much, I find it rather unpleasant to dwell upon the past, especially when it comes to those three," Edd admitted, Eddy nodding agreement.

"Alright, Kevin it is. But I think we should wait until tomorrow to do anything about him. I think we should just hang out and cool off for the rest of the day. It will help clear our minds," Eddy suggested.

"Not a bad idea, Eddy. Ed?" Edd asked, wanting to get his approval.

"Yeah," Ed answered as he slowly uncurled from his ball. "I think I'll feel better if we go do something together."

"That's what I like to hear! Now how about we go over my place and catch up on some of those monster movies you've been missing out on ever since you've been grounded, Ed?" Eddy proposed, causing Ed to go from sad to happy in an instant, much to Edd and Eddy's delight.

"Finally, I can see the wild Banderbeast rampage through Apple Core city!" Ed exclaimed in excitement as he lead the way out of his window and toward Eddy's house, his two friends quickly hurrying behind him.

* * *

Eddy laid out on his bed, tired from his hours of hanging out with Ed and Edd. He was tired, but very fulfilled. It had been just like old times. The three of them were crowded around Eddy's television, laughing and eating snacks as they watched the stupid monster movies that Ed loved. But he didn't care how stupid, low budget, or ridiculous the movies got. He was just happy to see Ed and Edd so happy. That made him happy. He was glad to see Ed forget about how horrible his bitchy little sister was; he was happy to see Edd stop obsessing over solving their problems and start laughing and having a good time instead. And he was happy to finally get his own mind off of their troubles, which had seemed so distant and unreal when the three of them had been hanging out.

Ed and Edd had gone home a few minutes before, leaving him to his own devices. He had been content in the last few minutes just going over the good time he had had with Ed and Edd in his mind, but now his mind was wondering to _other_ things. "Well, here we go again..." Eddy muttered under his breath before reaching under his bed to retrieve an object of great importance to him. His hand returned from under his bed with his prize: a porno mag. He smiled eagerly as he got comfortable on his bed, nestling himself between his pillows. When he got comfortable, he opened the magazine and his eyes began to scan each picture very carefully. As Eddy looked at each picture, he noticed something odd. He wasn't getting the same kick out of them as he did before. Hell, he usually got hard the second he started looking at them, but that didn't happen at all this time. Instead, he found himself feeling rather unsatisfied. He wished he didn't know why. But he did.

Eddy sat up on his bed and tossed his magazine beside him, which landed softly and fluttered shut. "Fuck..." Eddy muttered as he rubbed his eyes. He wasn't tired. He wished he was. He wished his body would just let him go to sleep and get the thoughts that were prying their way into his mind to go away. But his body and mind weren't showing any mercy. He knew what his body wanted. His body was begging him to fulfill it's needs. But he couldn't. He had hoped and prayed that he could sate his desire with his magazines, that the craving would just go away. But ever since it had tasted what it had always wanted, it wanted more. And Eddy wished he could say no. He wished he could force it to calm down and forget about the experience. But he couldn't. And the worse part was, his mind was in full agreement with his body. The only thing stopping him from going to fulfill his needs was his heart.

His heart was the only defender left in the castle. The rest of the defenders had all surrendered to the enemy and were waiting on the heart to join them. It was pleading with him not to do it; to think of his friends, Ed and Edd, and how he would be betraying them. And his mind wanted to agree. And his body wanted to agree. But it was too late; his mind and body had already surrendered and belonged to the enemy now. So now Eddy had a very difficult choice to make: was he going to stay in his bed, go to sleep, and never again betray the trust of his friends, or was he going to get up and go betray the hell out of them again? He wished the question was still up in the air, but his body and mind had already made the decision for him. Eddy climbed out of bed and exited his room. He shut the door behind him, leaving the darkness of his room behind him.

Kevin, Rolf, and Nazz all marched down the lane, laughing, talking, and dripping with water as they went. It was late at night, nine o' clock to be precise, but they had decided to stay until it got as dark as they could tolerate before leaving the creek; they had been having so much fun that they figured they should make it last as long as possible. "Nice swimming out there, Kev, where'd you learn to swim so fast?" Nazz asked him as she walked beside him.

"Hey, it's all in the technique," Kevin answered before making some silly swimming motions in the air, causing Rolf and Nazz to laugh. Kevin suddenly stopped, thinking he saw someone walk by them just a moment before; it was kind of dark, so he couldn't tell for sure. Nazz and Rolf stopped laughing and noticed Kevin's sudden silence.

"Why has the curse of the silence suddenly inflicted Kevin?" Rolf asked as he looked at Kevin intently, who suddenly snapped back to reality.

"I'm sorry... I just... well I thought I just saw someone walk by us..." Kevin said as he looked around. He didn't see anyone.

"It probably was your imagination. There's nobody else here, dude," Nazz assured him as he calmed down.

"Yeah, you're right. Probably just got too much water in my head is all," Kevin joked, causing Nazz to giggle. The three of them then continued down the lane, leaving the person who walked by them to continue his journey down the lane. Eddy took short little steps, his heart fighting with him every step to make him stop and turn back around. But it was clear that his body and mind were far stronger than his weak little heart. He looked up at an all too familiar sign that stretched up into the night sky. He was here. He slowly made his way through the dark, angular forms of the trailers before finally finding the one he was looking for. It seemed to loom so tall above him, making him feel like the squat little trailer that stood before him was a skyscraper. The lights were still on. Eddy sighed heavily before advancing toward the door; his heart had given up the fight and had been defeated in battle. It now whimpered in the corner as it watched Eddy march to the enemy camp to offer his surrender. Eddy lifted his hand weakly and knocked on the trailer door. He didn't have to wait very long before a grinning face answered the door.

"What took you so long?" Lee asked him as she reached out and stroked his cheek.

"I hate you," Eddy said before Lee grabbed him by the collar and pulled him seductively inside.

"I hate you too," Lee answered as Eddy was swallowed by the Kanker's trailer, the door closing lightly behind him.


	7. Suspicion

**Author's Note: **_Here's chapter seven for your viewing pleasure; please read, and, if you have the time, review._

* * *

"Fucking dorks," was all Kevin could mutter as he laid in the darkness of his room, his head nestled on a pillow as he stared at the ceiling, his face scrunched up in anger. He wasn't laying in the dark because it was still night, it was because his parents had installed a wooden shutter over his window, saying that he didn't even deserve to see the light of day, nor the world it illuminated. They wanted to turn his room into what seemed like a prison; all they had left him in the way of possessions was his bed, his blanket, his pillow, as well as a few books that wouldn't read, although he didn't see how he could even if he wanted to since it was pitch black in his room. They had seen it as a fitting punishment, especially after they had found out exactly what had happened to Kevin's motorcycle. They had come in the wee hours of the morning, around three or four. Not they as in Kevin's parents, but they as in the cops. They had finally identified who the owner of the smoldering wreck of a motorcycle they had found in a ditch was, and they had rushed over to Kevin's house as soon as they found out.

Kevin could still remember the dumbstruck expressions on his parents' faces when they answered the door and found two cops standing there on their porch. Kevin couldn't see his own expression at the time, but he knew he probably had the same expression his parents did as the two cops quickly explained why they were there. His parents were very cordial with the cops, mustering the sweetest and most understanding tones they could as the cops explained the situation. When the two officers left, however, their entire demeanor changed, and they verbally abused Kevin for three hours straight. Kevin sat on the couch, head down, as his parents yelled at, screamed at, and berated him for his flagrant irresponsibility when it came to the handling of his motorcycle. Kevin was ashamed, to say the least. At the conclusion of the screamfest, they walked him up to his room, stripped it bare, installed the shutter, and said good day.

Kevin was officially on lock down. His parents put it quite simply: he couldn't leave his room save for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Kevin didn't know how his parents planned on keeping in his room during lunch, since they'd be at work at that time, but he decided it'd be better not to find out. And it was going to be this way for three weeks. Kevin didn't know how he'd survive the grounding. Summer wasn't very long, and, although it had just begun not too long ago, three weeks was a significant chunk of time cut out of his fun time. Kevin found it funny, in a sad kind of way: just a few hours before the cops came, Kevin was out having fun with Nazz and Rolf, enjoying perhaps the last happy memory he'd have of the summer. And he knew exactly who to blame for his misfortune: the Eds. It was all their fault. He knew it was. There was no other explanation. All the bad things that had ever happened to Kevin was because of those three boys he hated so much, and he knew that the blame for this latest incident was their doing. Kevin jumped out of his bed and stomped his foot hard on the ground. His parents had left for work, so he didn't worry about them hearing him.

"If it wasn't for those damn dorks, I'd have my motorcycle and everything would be fucking peachy-keen!" Kevin screamed to himself, wanting to let the rage out. He thought back to the trailer park, back when he had sent the Eds in to find his bike. They screwed up, as usual, and Kevin knew that that screw up was what ultimately led to the fate of his bike. Kevin squeezed his eyes shut as a more rational part of him argued that it was actually the Kankers' fault; after all, they were the ones who originally stole it, and they had been the ones who wrecked it too. Kevin quickly slapped those thoughts out of his head. Even if it was their fault, it would be so much easier to exact his revenge on the Eds. He didn't know how he was going to do it, but he knew that, one way or another, he was going to have the heads of Ed, Edd, n' Eddy.

* * *

Sarah sat at her dresser and stared at herself in the mirror, a pissed off yet thoughtful image of herself staring back. A lot had happened in the past day, and Sarah had to have a moment to herself to think about it. The biggest thing on her mind was Jimmy. She still didn't understand exactly what had happened yesterday, or why it had happened. She just didn't get it; why did Jimmy kiss her? Did he really think that she liked him like that? Sarah didn't want the kiss to end their friendship, but she also knew how awkward it would be to see him again. Would they just pretend that it didn't happen? Would they just go frolic off and play like they always did? Or... or would they stop being friends? Would Jimmy be unable to forgive her for refusing him? Sarah thought about all these questions, but no answers came to her. She was so unsure. So lost. She hated the feeling. It reminded her of the whole debacle with Ed. That was easy to remedy, however; all that situation required was a little old Sarah charm and Ed quickly went back to doing everything she said.

No, this situation was different; whereas Ed was her stupid, idiot brother, Jimmy was her friend, and not just any friend. Jimmy was her best friend. They had known each other for years, and they had been friends for all those years. Sarah sighed. She figured something like this would happen eventually, but she had hoped in the back of her mind that Jimmy would keep any feelings he had for her under wraps. Sarah picked up a new brush that mom had bought her after the incident with Ed and Nazz and began to brush her hair. It helped to ease her troubled mind. Other than Jimmy, there was one other thing she had to take care of: Ed. Although she had solved Ed's seeming temporary moment of insanity, Sarah was unsure of the reason behind Ed's sudden burst of understanding and kindness. She knew Ed was dumb, but it seemed beyond stupid for him; he should've known by now how things were supposed to be between her and him. She thought she had done a good job of screaming and beating that into him, but she was now rethinking her strategy. Her mind wandered to Ed's two friends: Edd and Eddy.

She started to figure in her mind that they might've had something to do with it. Maybe they were trying to help Ed wrestle free of her control. It was all starting to make sense. Why else would Ed suddenly treat her so kindly, especially after her latest out burst and betrayal? She hated when the two of them tried to interfere with Ed. She had spent so much time making sure that he was under her control. Time that would be wasted if they could free Ed from his bonds. Well, she was going to have none of that. She was going to set Edd and Eddy straight and show them that they have no business butting into the affairs of Sarah. First things first, she decided that she was going to go down and check on Ed to make sure he was still there before going out to find Edd and Eddy.

* * *

Eddy peeked out from the lane, unsure of whether or not he had been spotted during the trek from the trailer park back to his house. He hadn't meant to stay in the trailer park so long. He hadn't meant to go to sleep last night. Then again, he hadn't meant for a long of things to happen. Yet they did. Eddy, seeing that the coast was clear, began to carefully advance out of the lane. He knew he'd have to pass by Kevin's house, Edd's house, and Rolf's house on the way to his own house, but he hoped with all of his meager little defeated heart that they wouldn't be out that morning. Eddy reached the end of the first house's fence and peaked around it. The cul-de-sac seemed to be deserted. Eddy sighed with relief before taking a step out from behind the fence.

"Hiya, Eddy!" a voice issued forth from behind Eddy, causing him to leap a foot in the air. He turned around and found himself face to face with Jonny, who also had Plank in tow, as usual. Eddy's heart was beating at a hundred miles per second. He feared that Jonny had saw him leave the trailer park. After all, Jonny always bragged about how Plank 'sees things', and Eddy feared that meant that Jonny was some sort of weirdo who watched people twenty-four seven.

"Uh... hey, Jonny. What are you doing out so early?" Eddy asked, trying to act natural.

"Early?" Jonny asked back before scratching his rather large head. "It's nine o' clock!"

"Yeah, and it's summer, melon head!" Eddy retorted. "Nine o' clock is like waking up at five during the school year! You just don't do it!" Eddy explained.

"I guess that makes sense..." Jonny muttered. Jonny suddenly held Plank to his ear, and then a sly smile appeared on his face. "Plank wants to know why _you're_ up so early then, smarty pants!" Eddy gulped. Eddy was a professional liar, no doubt, but he was so ashamed of his self that he temporarily went silent and just stared at Jonny, a fearful and guilty look on his face. "Uh... Eddy?" Jonny asked, confused by Eddy's sudden silence. Eddy quickly recovered.

"My mom just needed me to go run some errands is all," Eddy said as he began to unravel his lie. "Ya know, boring stuff like taking the trash out and birdwatching," Eddy fabricated as Jonny listened eagerly. Eddy was off his game, and he knew it; that lie was so transparent that the birds he was supposedly watching would crash into thinking it was nothing but air.

"Your mom makes you go birdwatching too?" Jonny asked, genuinely understanding Eddy's pain. Eddy almost laughed at the statement, but was able to control himself.

"Yeah... so... anyway... I gotta go. Catch you later, baldy," Eddy quipped before turning around to continue his journey to his house.

"Plank just wants to know one more thing," Jonny said after Eddy, who was half-ignoring him.

"What's that?" Eddy said as he continued to walk away from Jonny, uninterested in what he had to say.

"Plank wants to know why you go birdwatching with the Kankers," Jonny asked, causing Eddy to freeze up in place. _Oh shit_ Eddy thought as he stared blankly into space. Jonny had seen him at the trailer park. And now he was in some deep shit. Eddy slowly turned around to face Jonny, a scowl on his face. "Plank was just wondering, cause he finds it weird since you hate the Kankers and-"

"What the fuck does Plank know, huh?" Eddy yelled at Jonny, causing him to recoil in surprise at Eddy's sudden hostility. "I think you need to tell that hunk of rotting old termite food that he needs to stop making up stories and get a life," Eddy said coldly as the bald-headed boy stared back at him, Plank hanging limply in one of his hands that were swinging by his sides.

"I... well..." Jonny squeaked out, not knowing how to respond to the accusation. "I... Plank doesn't make up stories! He told me what he saw!" Jonny retorted, pointing at Plank's eyes as he said it.

"He doesn't know shit," Eddy came back angrily. "Plank needs a pair of glasses, cause I think his eyes are about to rot out of his fucking wooden little skull." Jonny's lip quivered. Eddy held firm. Jonny sucked it up, and then turned around and walked off without saying a word. Eddy stared after Jonny as he walked away, every step harder and harder for him as he tried to restrain the tears that were begging to escape from his eyes. Eddy didn't mean to be so harsh. He didn't want to be so harsh. But he couldn't have Jonny running around telling everyone what he saw. Jonny might genuinely think it was birdwatching, but if he told others, they might figure out the truth. And he couldn't let the truth get out. Especially not now, when Ed and Edd were so high in spirits. Especially not now, when Edd had convinced he and Ed to assist him in solving all of their problems. Especially not now, when Eddy needed his dark secret most. Eddy gathered up all the strength he could muster and resumed his journey back to his house. He had a feeling that the day ahead of him was going to be a long one.

* * *

"... and so I don't know if we can put my plan into action today because of that," Edd said as he stood before Ed and Eddy, who both sat down on Edd's bed. Eddy sat there, an expression of pure joy on his face, while Ed played with a loose string he had found on his shirt.

"I knew that boxheaded jerk would get his! This is just too good to be true..." Eddy asserted. The news that Kevin had been grounded for three weeks had made his day, and it made him completely forget about the danger of Jonny seeing him. "I say we go down to his house torture him right now!" Eddy suggested before standing up.

"And I'll bring the cool whip!" Ed announced as he pulled a random can of shaving cream out from his jacket.

"No, I won't allow it! Our entire goal is to get Kevin off of our backs, not needlessly provoke him!" Edd explained before snatching the shaving cream out of Ed's hand. "And this is not cool whip, Ed! I do hope you didn't consume any of this shaving cream..." Edd said as he turned the can over in his hand; it felt really light, like it had seen a lot of use.

"Aw, but I like needlessly provoking him!" Ed said before flopping down backwards on Edd's bed.

"Yeah, lumpy's got the right idea!" Eddy said as he patted Ed on the head.

"As much as I'd love to see Kevin suffer for all the things he did, I'm a pacifist first, and I believe that no such thing will occur," Edd responded as he laid the shaving cream on his desk. "Besides, if we did go and 'torture' Kevin as you said, who knows the lengths he would go to exact his revenge?"

"A whole mile?" Ed asked.

"Then what the hell do you think we should do, sockhead? Kevin's locked up in his house, so there's no way we could get to him anyway!" Eddy retorted.

"Well that's just it, Eddy. Now, I'm not one to break the rules, let alone go against the wishes of another's parents, but I believe if we help Kevin escape from his confinement, then that might be the ticket to starting off on a better note with him!" Edd unraveled as Ed and Eddy listened.

"What movie are we seeing, guys?" Ed asked, causing Edd and Eddy to give him funny looks.

"Hopefully the one where you find a brain," Eddy joked before turning back to Edd. "Fine. But I swear to God, this plan better work, because I'm not about to get my ass beat by that jughead again."

"Don't worry, Eddy, Kevin is usually much more rational than Sarah. I'm sure this will set us up on the right path with him," Edd assured Ed and Eddy as the three of them left Edd's room.

* * *

Kevin was digging around in his closet, trying to find the item that he had hoped his parents hadn't removed from his room. They had stripped everything from his room, including many of the things that he had stuffed in his closet, so he hoped that they hadn't taken this very useful object too. Kevin cracked a smile when he finally found what he was looking for: his switchblade. It had a long black handle and a smooth, curved blade that gleamed in the light. Or, at least it would, if there was any light. Kevin's search for the blade had been a long one; after all, he had to do all the looking with his hands and none of it with his eyes. He quickly withdrew the switchblade from the closet and shut the door before advancing to the door that led out into the hallway. He had a hunch that his parents had set up a few security measures to make sure that their son couldn't sneak out of his room, and this blade would help him figure out if his hunch was correct.

Kevin got down on his hands and knees next to the door and slid the blade partially under the door, just enough so that the light from the hallway reflected onto his blade and gave him a clear image of what was on the other side. At first he only saw the ceiling, but, as he began to shift the position of the knife, more and more of the room became visible to him. He finally spotted what he thought was going to be there; a camera. His dad had once worked for the local news station before going to work at the jawbreaker factory, and he had been allowed to keep his fancy, high tech camera as a going away present. The camera had a very long battery life, long enough to last from the time his parents left to the time they came back. He could see a red light emitting from the camera, showing that it was recording. Kevin's face twisted into an angry scowl. That meant there was no way out of his room. Kevin could sneak out and shut off the camera and find a way to remove the tape, but then his parents would know he had sneaked out of his room since his parents would see that he had tampered with the camera and tape. Kevin withdrew the switchblade from under the door, pushed the blade back into the handle, and then pocketed it. There was no way he could escape through his door, so there was only one other method: the window.

Kevin looked over at the window, which had a wooden shutter over the exterior. Kevin could open the window, remove the shutter, and then jump down, but then he'd have no way back up. Since every door and window in the house was locked from the inside, Kevin would have no way back in unless he broke back into his house, meaning that he couldn't use that exit either. And, being that there was only two exits total, that left Kevin with only one option: sit in the dark of his room for three weeks and take the punishment. Kevin felt the rage bubbling to the surface. He wanted to punch something or somebody so badly. And he knew three somebodies that he'd like to punch the hell out of. Even so, he had no way to get to them; they were on the outside enjoying their life while Kevin was stuck in his room with nothing to do. Kevin sat down on his bed and looked at the dark floor. His eyes had adjusted greatly to the dark, meaning he could make out just about everything in his room. Although there wasn't much to look at now anyway.

Kevin was snapped out his thoughts when he heard something strike the wooden shutter outside of his room. Kevin looked over at the window and the shutter, thinking it was his imagination. Another sound issued from the shutter, prompting Kevin to stand up and walk over to his window. He knew he hadn't imagined that sound. Kevin smiled a little. It was probably Nazz, Rolf, or both of them coming to bust him out. He knew he could count on them. Kevin unlocked the window and slid it up, exposing the wooden shutter to him. It was screwed in from the inside. Kevin took out his switchblade and went to work on the screws, working on each one quickly and efficiently.

Something hit the shutter while he was unscrewing the screws, prompting him to yell, "Hold on a second!" Kevin got the last screw out and caught the shutter before it fell. He pulled it inside of his room and sat it on the floor. Light flooded in through the window, almost blinding Kevin, who had been sitting in the complete dark for hours. His vision slowly adjusted to the light and he quickly walked over to the window and looked down. He could make out three shapes standing out in his yard. "Three people?" Kevin muttered as he tried to make out who it was. Kevin's vision finally adjusted to the light, and his eyes almost popped out his head. It was the Eds. "What the fuck do you three losers want?" Kevin yelled angrily at the Eds, who were all staring up at him. He knew they were probably here to screw around with him and make him angry.

"Er... greetings to you too, Kevin!" Edd answered, taken aback by Kevin's rude greeting. Edd quickly nudged Eddy in side.

"Uh... yeah, what's up," Eddy said quietly but loud enough for Kevin to hear. He'd much rather be throwing eggs at Kevin than saying hellos to Kevin.

"Hiya, Kevin!" Ed yelled up at Kevin, who glared at the three angrily.

"Enough with the formalities, what the hell do you three dorks want!" Kevin asked angrily. He should've known from the start that the Eds would be try to take advantage of his weakness as soon as possible. Eddy grabbed Edd by the arm and pulled him close to him.

Eddy quickly whispered, "Do we have to do this, Double D? The guy's being an asshole! I say we go back to my place, grab some of the eggs my mom bought, and-"

"We have to, Eddy. I know he's not being cordial with us, but we have to do this," Edd whispered back, causing Eddy to groan in defeat before the two of them returned their attention to Kevin.

"We come in peace, square-headed alien from who-knows-where!" Ed yelled at Kevin as he jumped up and down.

"Hey, Kevin! Look man, we felt sorry for you getting locked up and shit, so we decided we're gonna help bust you out!" Eddy yelled up at Kevin, who suddenly donned an expression of confusion. The Eds helping him bust out? Something was up.

"Yeah right, why should I trust you three?" Kevin yelled back. "This is probably just another one of your dumbass scams! Let me guess, you're gonna help me down if I give you a quarter?" Eddy gritted his teeth. He so badly wanted to hurt Kevin that it was painful to keep his anger under control.

"No, Kevin, we genuinely want to help!" Edd called up to Kevin, who still looked skeptical. "Free of charge!" Edd added, causing Kevin to sigh. He didn't know whether or not to trust the three, but they were offering him a chance to escape from his prison, and that wasn't a chance he was about to pass up.

"Alright..." Kevin answered. "If you three really want to bust me out, then bring me a damn ladder!" Kevin commanded.

"You heard the guy, Ed, go get a ladder!" Eddy ordered before shoving Ed, who quickly started off to find a ladder. Edd and Eddy returned their attention to Kevin, who was still staring down at the three.

"Why are you three helping me anyway?" Kevin asked, wanting answers.

"Cause we're just cool like that, right, sockhead?" Eddy answered before elbowing Edd in the rib, causing him to grip his side in pain.

"Er... well, we just thought that the punishment your parents issued you was a little too harsh, so we decided that-" Edd was suddenly interrupted when a ladder clothes-lined him, causing him to go crashing into the ground.

"Ladders away!" Ed yelled as he planted the ladder firmly on the ground and laid it up against the side of Kevin's house. "Women and children first!" Ed yelled up to Kevin, who simply rolled his eyes before grabbing the ladder firmly and beginning his descent. When Kevin reached the ground, he turned around to face the Eds, unsure of what to say.

"Well... uh... thanks, I guess," Kevin said before sticking his hands in his pockets. He felt the cool handle of the switchblade in his left pocket, and the leather of his wallet in the other.

"No problem," Eddy said, tempted to add on 'Now that'll be twenty-five cents'. Edd stepped forward.

"Listen, Kevin, if you want to know why we helped you, it's because we want to start over. We've been at each others' throats for years, and I'm thinking that we should start anew," Edd explained as Kevin listened intently. Before Edd continue, Kevin put his hand up to stop him.

"So, let me get this straight. You three want to be friends with me?" Kevin asked, his tone relatively even and collected. Eddy looked up at Edd, who returned his stare. How should he answer Kevin's question?

"I suppose... in a way. We really just want to make things right between us three and you. We just want the hostility to end," Edd answered, hoping it was sufficient to sway Kevin to see their point of view. Friends with the Eds? Kevin had never considered the possibility. After all, he hated them with every fiber of his being, so the prospect of being friends with them had never crossed his mind, save for a few rare occasions. Kevin knew that he didn't want to; in fact, he still had a lot of the rage from earlier left, and wanted to just start pounding their heads in. But Kevin suddenly saw the advantage of their 'friendship', something he hadn't seen before. Kevin suddenly smiled; it looked like a genuine smile, but it hid a deeper, darker purpose.

"You know what? Maybe you're right, Double D," Kevin began, taking Edd by surprise. "I... well... maybe it's better if we weren't enemies. I mean, you guys did help me escape, and, besides, I think all of us already have our hands full with those damn Kankers," Kevin explained. Eddy twitched a little at their name, but Ed, Edd, and Kevin didn't notice. "So... maybe we can stop the bullshit between us. At least for a while," Kevin added before extending his hand toward the Eds. "So I say we make peace. I'm not saying we're friends or anything, but I say no more war between us."

"Thank you, Kevin! I knew you'd see things the way they should be!" Edd responded before shaking Kevin's hand.

"Alright, well if you dor... I mean, guys, will excuse me, I've got some stuff to take care of. Thanks again for busting me out," Kevin said before walking off into the cul-de-sac. When Kevin was out of earshot, Eddy grabbed Edd by the arms and shook him back and forth.

"Hell yeah, nice thinking, Double D! I can't believe it worked!" Eddy proclaimed. Ed suddenly swooped in and gathered both of them up in a huge, crushing bear hug.

"It worked, guys! Kevin's not a meanie anymore!" Ed cried happily as he swung Edd and Eddy around like rag dolls.

"Yeah, and we're not gonna be alive anymore if you don't get the hell off!" Eddy joked before shoving Ed off of him and Edd, causing them to all drop to the ground. The three of them stood up and dusted themselves off, and Edd saw it fit to address the current situation.

"Listen, we can't get too excited just yet. Knowing Kevin, this could all be a trick. Don't forget what happened between you and Kevin just a few days ago," Edd reminded Eddy, who groaned in rememberance.

"Don't remind me," Eddy griped as he recalled Kevin's trickery. It also caused him to remember what that trickery led to. Something that he'd rather not think about, especially with Ed and Edd standing right there.

"I will admit, however, that it appears we're making progress. At the very least Kevin didn't choose to get physical with us as soon as we freed him. That's something," Edd commented.

"Good, cause I'm beat. You have no idea how painful it was to help that asshole out," Eddy complained.

"I got just the thing for that!" Ed proclaimed before taking a can of shaving cream out of his jacket. "Toothpaste!" Ed declared.

"More shaving cream? Ed, you're a freak," Eddy laughed.

"Oh dear, I hope you don't really use shaving cream to brush your teeth!" Edd worried as he watched Ed shake the can of shaving cream. "Although I suppose that would account for your bad oral hygiene," Edd wondered aloud as Ed pointed the can at Eddy.

"Fire the main guns, captain!" Ed yelled before shooting a stream of shaving cream at Eddy.

"What the hell! Ed!" Eddy yelled in protest as Ed continued to spray it at him. Eddy tried to snatch the can out of Ed's hand, but he held it up high where Eddy couldn't reach it.

"The enemy is attacking! Retreat!" Ed yelled while running off, but not before spraying Eddy again with the shaving cream.

"Come back here ya lump!" Eddy shouted after Ed as he began to pursue him. Edd couldn't help but smile before walking slowly and carefully after the two of them, taking time to enjoy the moment. Moments like these were rare between them now, especially with all the crazy stuff happening to them. But things were starting to look up. Edd knew that these moments would start coming back as the three of them worked to make things better. And that warmed his heart to no end.

* * *

Nazz was walking down the lane very slowly as she bobbed her head back and forth and hummed to some music playing from her CD player. She suddenly stopped when she saw a certain bald-headed boy moping by a dumpster. She reached down and turned off her CD player before slowly advancing toward Jonny. She had never really talked to Jonny that much, despite the two of them living in the cul-de-sac for many years. He creeped her out, to say the least. Still, she had always made a point to help those in need, and Jonny appeared to be very depressed. Jonny didn't look up at Nazz, despite hearing her approaching. "Hey, Jonny," Nazz greeted, prompting Jonny to look up at her. She noticed that Plank wasn't with him.

"Hey," Jonny said quietly.

"You... you look kind of sad, dude... did you lose Plank again?" Nazz asked, wondering if that could be the reason for Jonny's despondency.

"No," Jonny answered.

"Oh... well, what's wrong then?" Nazz questioned, now genuinely curious about what was bothering Jonny.

"Nothing," Jonny responded before looking down the lane at nothing. "Nothing at all."

"Come on, you know you can tell me anything, Jonny," Nazz said soothingly. She hated to see someone so sad, even someone as strange as Jonny. Jonny looked back at her. Jonny tossed around whether or not he should tell Nazz what was bothering him in his head. Jonny sighed.

"Eddy just said some really mean stuff to me earlier and... well, I took it to heart," Jonny said before crossing his arms and leaning back against the dumpster. Nazz sucked her teeth.

"I'm sorry about that, Jonny. You know how Eddy is sometimes," Nazz reasoned causing Jonny to look at her. "Okay... all the time. Still, you can't let other people get to you like that. Just ignore it and move on."

"I should..." Jonny began. "... but it's just so hard to let go. Besides, I don't even know why he was so mean to me. I don't think I said anything to offend him..."

"It's alright, Jonny," Nazz said in a comforting tone. "I'm sure it's nothing you did, dude. Maybe he was just having a bad day?"

"Maybe..." Jonny muttered as he took his arms from his chest and shoved them in his pockets. "I just wish Plank could've told me why. He might've know why," Jonny commented.

"I don't think Plank knows everything, Jonny," Nazz began. She knew she had to be careful when talking about Plank; after all, despite being fifteen, Jonny still held on to the belief that Plank was a person quite fervently. "Sometimes you have to ask some of your other friends for help." Jonny smiled a little.

"You're right. Maybe I should give Plank some rest. After all, I've been lugging that lazy pants everywhere for the past few weeks that I think a break from each other would do us some good," Jonny said, his tone brightening up quite a bit.

Nazz flashed him a radiant smile before saying, "That's good to hear, dude. If you ever need someone to talk to, just come find me and we'll talk about anything that's troubling you. Okay?" Jonny returned her smile.

"Okay," Jonny responded.

"Alright, well I'm gonna go back to my place, so I guess I'll catch you later, Jonny!" Nazz said before walking off down the lane and resuming her music. Jonny straightened up and stretched. Nazz's talk with him had really brightened his whole day up; in fact, just her mere presence made all his problems seem to dissolve and disappear. Jonny wished he could gather up enough courage to tell Nazz how he really felt about her. He didn't know whether or not she liked him back; he wished he knew. He so badly wished knew. Maybe Plank knew. Jonny mentally slapped himself at the thought. Jonny couldn't help but think about Plank whenever the two of them were separated; Jonny genuinely wanted to take a break from his best friend, but Plank was always on his mind, even when he wasn't around. Jonny shrugged to himself before climbing the fence and jumping down on the other side, hoping to clear his thoughts back at his place.

* * *

Sarah leaned up against the fence that surrounded the playground, frustration evident on her face. She had thoroughly searched around for her brother and his two friends but was unable to find them. Ed was grounded and he knew it; she was going to make him pay for leaving his room. Not only that, but she was sure she would find Edd and Eddy with him; after all, they were probably the ones who helped him get away quietly. She wanted to set the record straight with those two hooligans. She was going to get it in their heads that they should leave Ed the way he is and stop meddling with him. She would make sure they knew that, even if she had to physically beat it into their heads. Sarah looked up when she heard someone walking down the street in front of her. It was Kevin. He had a rather relaxed expression on his face, although it appeared that he was also searching for someone. When he spotted Sarah, he started walking toward her.

Now, Sarah and Kevin didn't really like each other at all. Sarah disliked Kevin's constant showing-off and bragging, and she also disliked how much he could be like Eddy at times. And she hated Eddy with all her heart, so anyone like him would definitely get some hate as well. Kevin disliked Sarah because he saw her as a huge brat and a loudmouth, and tried to avoid being alone with her at all costs. But it seemed that Kevin had a purpose in his step, so Sarah decided to go ahead and see what Kevin wanted.

"Hey, Sarah, have you seen Nazz around?" Kevin asked. "I checked her house and it looks like she left somewhere." Sarah smiled evilly. She could answer his question, but she had something different in mind.

"Nah, I haven't seen her... but..." Sarah began. Since she couldn't find Ed, she figured she might as well have some fun with Kevin. "I was just wondering what you were doing outside? Shouldn't you be in your house like a good little boy?" Sarah asked, an evil grin on her face.

"Yeah, I should be. What are you gonna do about it?" Kevin scoffed. His relaxed state was suddenly replaced by one of anger. Kevin was truly angry, but it masked a deeper feeling that he wouldn't let be seen: fear. Kevin knew that Sarah was a huge brat, and that she would be just the person to go and tell his parents that he had sneaked out of his room.

"Oh, nothing. I just thought it'd be a really interesting story to share with your parents," Sarah said rather innocently; but there was nothing innocent about it. Kevin knew he had to suck it up and plead Sarah not to tell his parents; he really couldn't afford for them to add another punishment onto his already serious grounding, or, heaven forbid, extend his grounding for another few weeks.

"Dammit, Sarah, can't you cut me some slack?" Kevin asked an uncaring Sarah, who was unconvinced. Kevin sighed. He suddenly thought of a way to put it that maybe Sarah could understand. "Look, let me put it like this: I can't afford to get in trouble anymore. I really need to find the three dorks that got me locked up in my room in the first place and wring their necks," Kevin explained. Sarah's aura of evil suddenly dampened a little bit, and she adopted a more understanding look. Kevin was relieved at the sight; he had found their common ground. Despite all the things they hated about each other, Sarah and Kevin both shared a key trait: their absolute hatred for the Eds.

"You had to mention those three, didn't you?" Sarah commented angrily. "God I hate them so much..." Kevin smiled at the comment. He had finally found someone to talk about the Eds with. He couldn't talk to Nazz about it, because she didn't really hate them; she always looked at the good side of people and usually refused to talk bad about people behind their back. Jonny was too weird, Rolf was on good terms with the Eds, Kevin thought Jimmy was gay, and he would rather not talk bad about the Eds around the Kankers, who would probably kill him if he did.

"Heh, you and me both. If it wasn't for those fuckers, I'd be in the clear with my parents and I'd still have my bike," Kevin complained.

"All they are is trouble. Double D and Eddy helped Ed sneak out of our house, and now I have to go around searching for those three idiots so I can get Ed back to his room," Sarah bitched as Kevin nodded in understanding.

"That sucks... but you want to know something strange? Those dorks are the ones who busted me out... I don't know why they would do that... they should know that I'm angry as hell at them," Kevin remembered as he thought back to why he was out in the open in the first place.

"Really?" Sarah asked in disbelief. She suddenly started to put two and two together. Ed was normally nice to her; after all, despite her treatment of him, he still cared about her. But Ed had never called Jimmy's house in concern before; usually he was too caught up with being an idiot or hanging out with Edd and Eddy to even think about her. She originally chalked it up to Ed just being worried about his own behind; after all, if something happened to Sarah, Ed would be in a load of trouble. But now she was starting to wonder whether or not there was something deeper going on here that neither she or Kevin knew about.

"Yeah, it was weird as hell. I think it's all part of another one of those damn scams they're always pulling," Kevin reasoned as he crossed his arms.

"Maybe not..." Sarah said causing Kevin to perk up in interest. "I think something else is going on with those three."

"What makes you think that?" Kevin asked.

"Well, Ed was acting really weird last time I saw him," Sarah explained. "I think maybe something's going on that we don't know about." Kevin rubbed his chin as he thought about the situation for a few moments.

"Listen, whatever they're up to, it can't be good. I say you and me keep an eye on those three and we tell each other anything else that happens," Kevin suggested. Sarah nodded in agreement. "But don't tell anyone about this; if those Eds found out we were onto what ever it is they're up to, then we might never find out what they were planning. Got it?"

"I got it," Sarah responded. The two of them shook hands and Kevin walked off, resuming his search for Nazz. Sarah smiled. She and Kevin might still not like each other, but that didn't matter now. Sarah now had a valuable ally who could tell her anything he found out about the Eds, and that would be very useful to her in the near future. Sarah knew that the Eds were planning something; she didn't know what, but now that Kevin was on the same page as her, the two of them might be able to find out what they were doing and put a stop to it. These thoughts and many more swirled in Sarah's mind as she resumed her own search, walking off toward the town, thinking that perhaps the Eds were hanging out down there.

* * *

"Come back here, Ed, so I can kill ya!" Eddy yelled as he chased Ed through the woods. Eddy didn't understand how Ed could be so fast; Ed was the heaviest of the Eds and, sure, he was strong, but Ed didn't look like the fast type. Ed jumped over a huge rotting log, prompting Eddy to attempt the same. Eddy's trailing foot caught on the log as he tried to jump over it, and he fell face first into the dirt. Ed took the opportunity to zoom ahead, leaving Eddy in the maze of bark and roots. "Damn it," Eddy cursed as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Eddy, maybe you should just give up," Edd said from behind Eddy, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

"Give up? That's just not me, Double D. I'm gonna catch Ed and shove that can of shaving cream right up his-" Eddy was suddenly cut off when Ed zoomed back toward Edd and him, tackled them, and pulled them behind a log. Ed pinned down Edd and Eddy, refusing to let them move. "Get the fuck o-" Ed smacked his hand over Eddy's mouth, silencing him.

"Banshees, Eddy," Ed whispered quietly, his voice shaking with fear. Edd and Eddy didn't understand. They were about to. They heard twigs being snapped underfoot and brush being moved aside as something moved through the woods.

"What is it, Ed? Is it a bear?" Edd asked, remembering how many times he read about people getting mauled by bears in the woods.

"Worse," Ed whispered, trying to stay as quiet as possible. Ed craned his neck up a little so he could peak over the log. He almost gasped, but he held it back. Right on the other side of the log, in a small and relatively flat clearing, stood the Kanker sisters, who were looking around as if searching for somebody. Of course, Ed knew who they were searching for.

"Damn it, May, I told you to grab him!" Lee complained, looking to blame May for their failure. Edd and Eddy's eyes widened in fear when they heard Lee's voice; they now knew why Ed had pinned them down and acted so fearfully.

"Well... Marie was closer!" May shot back, trying to pin it on anyone but her.

"How about you get closer so I can shove my foot up your ass!" Marie yelled as she advanced menacingly toward May. Lee got in between the two of them.

"Enough! It was no ones fault. Besides, I think he's still around here somewhere..." Lee said, her voice trailing off as she looked over at the log the Eds were hiding behind. Ed quickly ducked his head back down.

"I think they know where we are, guys," Ed whispered frantically.

"Frmph mphit, mhetsh srhun!" Eddy said, muffled by Ed's hand. Ed lifted his hand, and Eddy repeated, "Fuck it, let's run!" Ed and Edd couldn't have agreed more. The Kankers, who were slowly approaching the log, jumped back in surprise as Ed leaped up, Edd and Eddy in tow, and ran screaming and yelling into the woods.

"Pick a man, girls!" Lee yelled as the three of them ran after their respective 'boyfriends'.

"Run away!" Ed yelled to no one in particular as he ran. He didn't notice that Edd and Eddy had run in different directions as he crashed through bush after bush and juked around tree after tree. He could hear panting behind him, and he knew one of the Kankers was gaining on him.

"Run, run, run!" Edd whispered hysterically, trying to gather up all the strength he had to keep his tiny legs moving. He could hear one of them crashing through the foliage behind him as he ran; he knew he wasn't fast enough to escape from his pursuer. Whichever one of them that was chasing him was faster, and he would eventually be caught. He didn't care. So he kept running. He spotted Ed through some trees up ahead of him, and he saw May right on his tail, who was running on all fours like a dog. "Ed, over here!" Edd yelled, wanting Ed to somehow intervene and save him. Or maybe he just wanted Ed nearby so the two of them could suffer together when they were inevitably caught. Both would be better than being alone.

"Help me, Double D!" Ed yelled as he leaped through some trees toward Edd, May leaping right behind him.

"Ed, look out!" Edd yelled before diving toward Ed and pushing him to the ground, causing May and Marie to crash into each other. Edd quickly got off of the ground, pulling Ed to his feet by his arm and began pulling him. "Let's go, Ed! While they're down!" Edd suggested in a high pitched, fearful voice. Ed nodded quickly before running off with Edd, leaving the two Kankers to groggily pick themselves up off of the ground.

"Oh, way to go, May! They got away _again_ because of you!" Marie accused as she picked leaves off of her clothing.

"Yeah, well-" May was cut off from responding when Eddy jumped through some bushes and landed with a thud in front of them.

"Ha, got away from that bi-" Eddy spotted May and Marie smiling at him. "Oh shit," Eddy muttered before backing himself into a tree.

"Well if it isn't our little playmate, Eddy," Marie said leeringly as Marie and May strolled casually up to him. Eddy was scared, no doubt, and he knew what was coming. He just prayed that Ed and Edd weren't around to see them.

"Look, I'm not in the mood. We were just having some fun in the woods when you three had to ruin it!" Eddy complained, a little peeved.

"We can make it up to you... how about _we_ have some fun in the woods?" May suggested as Marie and her crowded around Eddy, making him feel uncomfortable. Then again, it was all his fault. If he hadn't caved to the Kankers twice in a row, they might not be so forward with him. Eddy closed his eyes as his body started begging him once again to relent. He could already feel himself getting hard. _No! _Eddy screamed to himself internally. He wasn't going to give in again. Not this time.

"You know what? Fuck that! I ain't letting you two bitches put your hands on me again!" Eddy protested as he puffed himself up in resistance. May and Marie just giggled at him.

"Let us put our hands on you? Who said anything about you letting us do shit?" Marie came back before shoving Eddy rough on the ground. "If you won't give it up willingly, then we'll just have to take it!" Marie said evilly as she leaped on top of Eddy, who tried to shove her off. She grabbed his arms and pinned them down on the ground above his head, bringing her face level with his. "Now that you're comfortable, let me let tell you something that you don't seem to get: you're ours, Eddy. The second you gave in to us you became ours, and there's nothing you can do about it. You want to start resisting again? Go ahead; but our deal is off then, and it all becomes public." Eddy's eyes widened in absolute pulsating fear; he knew she was serious. If he didn't give in, then they would tell everyone in the cul-de-sac about Eddy's betrayal; they would tell everyone about what Eddy had done with them. Eddy could just imagine the laughing faces of the kids, Kevin's smug expression as he teased Eddy endlessly, and Ed and Edd's ashamed faces as they disowned him and walked away, leaving him cold and alone without any friends. Eddy gulped. That could be a reality. But it was all his fault. He should've known the Kankers would pull some bullshit like this; they had seemed so understanding, so convincing. Now he knew the truth. It was just a ploy to get Eddy to be their personal little slave that would be forced to come to them whenever they wanted him to. Eddy closed his eyes as a tear slid out.

"You... you... you sadistic bitches," Eddy muttered, causing Marie to ease up on him a little.

"Good boy. Now how about we get that shirt off of you? You look like you need a little air..." Marie suggested lustfully as Eddy nodded in robotic compliance. He had to do whatever she and her sisters said, or it would be the end of his miserable little life. As Marie wrestled the shirt off of Eddy's body, Ed and Edd's faces flashed in his head. Their innocent faces that knew nothing about what was going on in the woods. He prayed that Ed and Edd didn't come back looking for him and find him in the woods with May and Marie. He didn't understand why he did it. He should've just resisted in the woods when the Kankers first tried to pull the wool over his eyes. He should've never given in. He should've never went to the Kankers a second time, that time of his own volition. Unfortunately, there was no changing the past; Eddy would have to endure this scenario for who knows how many times. May got her knees beside Eddy and leaned in to kiss him. Eddy shut his eyes as May pressed her lips against his. He just hoped to God that Lee didn't show up and see what her sisters were doing without her. Then things would get ugly. As if they weren't already.


	8. Deal with the Devil

**Author's Note: **_Alright, well here's chapter eight ready for your viewing pleasure. I hope everyone is enjoying the story thus far, and I thank everyone who has been reading this story, and I extend even more of a thank you to those who've taken the time to review my story._

* * *

Why did he have to do it? Why couldn't he stop himself? He knew he had ruined everything between them. And all it took was a simple little peck on the lips. She hadn't talked to him since the incident the day before. He had tried calling her house all day, but he got no response. How could their friendship be destroyed so easily? They had been friends since they were little. They had done everything together. They had played with dolls and action figures, played pretend together, slept over each others houses every other day, and they had even enjoyed picking on the Eds together on occasion. But that was all in the past now, all thanks to his lack of self-control. It was over. He knew she'd never be able to look at him the same again. He should've just kept his feelings to himself. He should've just pretended that he just wanted to be friends with her and that was all.

He should've, should've, should've, but he didn't listen to himself. Instead, he showed her everything he had been holding back, all the love for her, all the want for them to be more than friends in a single kiss. And that kiss was like an electric shock to their life-long friendship. It fried everything that had been to a crisp until all that was left was the smoking ashes of what once was. His head hung low as his feet dangled off the side of his bed. He felt dead. He and her never left each others side, save for when she wanted to hang out with Nazz or when he had Urban Rangers duty. Other than that, they were inseparable. Only on one other occasion had Sarah ever willingly left Jimmy's side, and that was...

"Double D," Jimmy whispered to himself as his eyes widened. That was it. He had been so blind. That was why Sarah rejected him. That had to be why. She still liked Edd. After four years, she still was harboring feelings for the sock-hatted Ed. It made Jimmy's blood boil. Jimmy had always been there for Sarah, always been by her side, and had always been there whenever she needed help with anything. Yet she was still hooked on the delusion that she and Edd were meant to be. Couldn't she see that Edd didn't like her, maybe even hated her, and that Jimmy was the one that she was meant to be with? Jimmy's fist balled up as an image of Edd's face swirled in Jimmy's mind, seeming to taunt him. It was all his fault. Jimmy had always tried to be nice to Edd. After all, he was the most likable of the Eds, at least to Jimmy. But now all that kindness and goodwill was replaced by a single thought: Edd will pay for keeping Sarah from being his.

* * *

Jonny sat in the middle of his backyard staring at Plank, who was propped up against a rock facing him. Jonny had promised himself that he would take a break from Plank; hell, he had even told Nazz that he was. But he couldn't resist going to see his best friend right after the conversation. Despite Nazz's comforting and soothing words, Eddy had instilled doubt in Jonny about Plank's friendship. Eddy accused Plank of lying about seeing him with the Kankers. Did Plank lie to Jonny? Why would he do that?

"He's the one who's lying, Jonny," Plank said to him as Jonny stared at him. Jonny perked up at Plank's words.

"How do you know, huh?" Jonny asked, wanting to hear an explanation for Plank's accusation.

"Come on, don't let that short little freak pull the wool over your eyes! He's just trying to mess up our friendship. Besides, I know what I saw. He was with the Kankers. And they weren't 'birdwatching' neither," Plank explained to Jonny who nodded, taking in every word as truth.

"But if they weren't birdwatching, then what were they..." Jonny trailed off as he felt his throat tighten a little. Jonny was a very innocent person; he tended to see the bright side of everything and paint over the bad parts of life. But he knew what Plank was talking about. Jonny started to get angry. "No, you're lying!"

"Why would I lie to you, Jonny? I'm your friend," Plank assured him, prompting Jonny to nod slowly.

"But... but why would Eddy do that? Doesn't he hate them?" Jonny asked, wanting Plank to explain everything to him.

"Who the hell cares why he did it? All I know is that we finally have some dirt on that stupid troll. Dirt that could be very useful in the future..." Plank suggested as he grinned at Jonny. Jonny's former anger returned; Plank was starting to piss him off. Jonny was a very good-natured guy, and he wasn't about to let Plank seduce him with the thoughts of having something to blackmail Eddy with.

"I refuse to do that to Eddy, Plank. You're acting like more of an asshole than Eddy did, you know that?" Jonny accused as he stood up and looked down at Plank. Plank was starting to become uncomfortable.

"An asshole? Is that what I am to you? I've helped you survive the people in this cul-de-sac all these years, and you dare to call me an asshole? All I'm doing out is looking out for us!" Plank yelled at Jonny angrily.

"Looking out for us? The only one you're looking out for is yourself!" Jonny shot back angrily.

"What? How dare you! All the work, all the blood and sweat, and all the advice I've put in to you to make sure that we could be where we are today, and you have the gall to say I'm only looking out for myself?" Plank seethed as he stared at Jonny angrily. Jonny had had enough of this. He gritted his teeth in rage as he looked at Plank's smug expression. He couldn't stand that little smile on Plank's face, or the way his eyes seem to bore into his soul. He flipped.

"I don't want to see your stupid face anymore Plank! Take you and your bad vibes somewhere else!" Jonny screamed before running forward and punting Plank across the yard. Plank flew throught he air, hit Jonny's fence with a plonk, and then landed with a light thud at the end of Jonny's yard. Jonny began to pant heavily, letting the anger and fury slowly drain out of him and into the surrounding air. That was that. He and Plank were no longer friends. Jonny stopped panting and stared at the little wooden board that laid at the end of his yard. Plank looked small, harmless, and weak from where Jonny stood. Something was coming over Jonny. It was a feeling that was foreign to him. Jonny suddenly realized what the feeling was: freedom.

* * *

Ed and Edd stood panting in the middle of the cul-de-sac, sweat running down their faces and pattering on the black of the street. Edd had his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath, while Ed scanned around them to make sure that the Kankers had continued the pursuit. "Double D... we left Eddy behind!" Ed exclaimed, suddenly realizing that the shortest of the Eds was missing. Edd gulped vast amounts of air, trying to recover his stamina so that he could speak.

"Ed... I... I'm sorry... we should have... waited... I guess..." Edd eked out between each gasp for air.

"They're probably sucking the life force out of Eddy as we speak!" Ed shouted fearfully as he pictured Eddy being drained of his soul and shriveling up into a prune-like version of himself. Edd, finally recovering from he and Ed's trek from the woods to the cul-de-sac, quickly stood up and faced Ed, who still had a panicked and worried expression on his face.

"I hate to say it, Ed... I really do... but... well I think we have no choice but to wait for Eddy and hope he escaped from the Kankers," Edd said as he laid his hand on Ed's shoulder. "You shouldn't worry about it, Ed. If I know Eddy, he'll find a way out of the situation he's in and be back here in the cul-de-sac in no time," Edd assured him. Ed looked down at Edd and slowly nodded. Edd was happy that Ed believed that Eddy would be alright, because he sure didn't. Despite what he had just told Ed, Edd knew in the back of his mind that Eddy had probably been caught. After all, without he and Ed to chase, May and Marie had probably joined Lee in the hunt for Eddy. Edd thought back to when Eddy had told him how he escaped from the Kankers. He hoped that Eddy could repeat that luck and escape again. But he knew better. After all, the Kankers, despite their appearance as a group of brutish bullies, were relatively smart and clever. Or at least Marie and Lee were. Nevertheless, he knew that the Kankers would learn from their mistake and make sure Eddy couldn't escape this time. He found himself squeezing Ed's shoulder roughly as images flashed through his head of what the Kankers might do to Eddy when they caught him. Luckily, Ed grabbed Edd by the shoulders and shook him, causing the images to be yanked out of his mind.

"Oh no, did they take your soul too? Not you too, Double D!" Ed lamented as he fell to his knees dramatically.

"No, Ed, no one took my soul. I was just thinking about something... listen, we should probably head back to my house and-" Edd suddenly stopped when he spotted a red faced girl approaching from the entrance of the cul-de-sac. "Oh lord... why now..." Edd whispered to himself as Sarah stomped toward the two Eds, who had been caught out in the open. "Ed, run!" Edd yelled, causing Ed to look up at Edd with an expression of confusion.

"From what?" Ed asked. His question was soon answered when a pair of small but powerful hands wrapped around his neck and yanked him away from Edd and to the ground. He found himself staring up at Sarah, who looked pissed beyond belief.

"Ed," Sarah began, her tone a little uneven as she tried to control her voice, which threatened to break out into violent screaming at any moment. "I always say that you're going to be in so much trouble every time I catch you doing some dumb crap. But this time... this time you have no idea how much trouble you're in. Not only am I gonna tell mom, I'm also going to smack you in your face until you go numb!" Sarah yelled, letting the fury pour out before smacking Ed in the face as hard as she could, leaving a big red mark on his cheek.

"No, please don't!" Ed protested before crawling over to Edd and hiding behind him. Edd gulped as Sarah marched up to Edd and looked up at him, her face looking like a ripe tomato as she eyed him violently.

"If you know what's good for you, Double D, you'll move out of my way so that Ed can get his punishment for running away!" Sarah warned Edd as she unclenched her fists, ready to grab Edd and toss him out of her way if he resisted.

"Sarah, please! Just let Ed go free just this once!" Edd pleaded as Ed shook fearfully behind him. Ed wasn't only afraid of himself; he was afraid for Edd and what Sarah might do to him if he failed to convince Sarah to let him go. "You have to understand, Sarah, I'm not one to go against the wishes of another person's parents, even Ed's, but Eddy and I needed Ed to be out and about with us for reasons of our own," Edd explained. He was surprised when he saw Sarah start to cool down. Sarah sighed, her entire posture going into one of relaxation. Edd was bewildered; he was sure he was going to get pummeled along with Ed, but it seemed his begging had actually worked.

"Fine... I guess just this once that idiot can go free," Sarah relented as she crossed her arms. "But, he better stay away from me or I'll make sure the both of you get the beating of a lifetime," Sarah threatened as Ed and Edd both nodded.

"Thank you so much, Sarah," Edd responded to Sarah's sudden burst of kindness, hoping that it would seal the deal.

"Yeah, yeah, just scram before I change my mind," Sarah warned. Ed and Edd nodded again and quickly backed away before running off toward Edd's house. Sarah couldn't help but smile a little. She had originally wanted to nab Ed and send him back to his room and beat Edd and Eddy senselessly, but she now saw a new plan unfolding in her mind; she thought back to the deal she and Kevin had made as well as what Edd had just said to her: _But Eddy and I needed Ed to be out and about for reasons of our own_. Edd had inadvertently let Sarah on to the fact that the three of them were indeed up to something. Sarah still didn't know what it was, but she didn't care. If she let the Eds stay together, then she might be able to actually find out what they were up to. She knew she had to inform Kevin of this incident so that the two of them could make plans on how to find out what it was the Eds were planning as well as how to stop it.

* * *

Jonny had never felt so good in his life. He no longer had to listen. He no longer had to obey. He finally tasted freedom and it tasted sweet. Jonny walked merrily down the lane, feeling energized and alive. It was good to be rid of Plank. Plank had lied to Jonny for so long, had mislead Jonny for so many years, and had had a grip on Jonny's soul his whole life. But now Plank was gone and had been replaced by Jonny's new friend: freedom. He felt good. He didn't have to listen to the bullshit Plank espoused to him all the time. Jonny wasn't sure what he wanted to do first with his new found freedom, but he knew he would do whatever it was he couldn't do when he was friends with Plank. The first thing that came to his mind was food; Plank had always made Jonny eat healthy and green while he himself had all the fattening foods he wanted. Jonny was a very peace-loving and down to Earth person, but he wasn't a vegan by choice; Plank had told Jonny to be one and had beaten it into his big head that eating meat was evil. Jonny could see how much of a hypocrite Plank was now; while Plank forced him to eat broccoli, yogurt, and tofu, Plank would eat hamburgers, steaks, and fish like no tomorrow.

Jonny skipped merrily toward the woods; while food choice was definitely one of the first things he wanted to start deciding for himself, he decided that nice walk in the woods would be even better. Sure, he walked through the woods plenty of time with Plank, but he had never walked through the woods without hearing Plank's annoying little voice droning on as he would be able to now. He thought about what Plank had been trying to accuse Eddy of. It made him want to laugh. It was funny to think that he had almost found himself once again believing Plank's lies. Eddy was probably never even at the trailer park, let alone with the Kankers. It was just another one of Plank's horrible deceptions that would've inevitably led to unnecessary suffering for Eddy. Sure, Eddy could be a jerk, but even he didn't deserve to be lied about like that.

As Jonny entered the woods, he slowed his pace to a slow stroll, wanting to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the woods. It seemed so much better without Plank. It was a strange feeling. And Jonny loved it. He quickly grappled a tree trunk and began to worm his way up it, feeling the rough bark cutting the palms of his hands and scratching at his baggy clothing. Jonny quickly grabbed hold of the lowest branch when he reached it and pulled himself up onto it. He sat down on the branch and began to swing his legs back and forth happily. He began to look around at all the trees. Big, twisted, old masses of wood and bark stretched up into the sky above him, their leaves forming a natural blanket over his head that let in selective amounts of light. Jonny stared up at the green of the leaves, relishing the shade they gave him from the sun.

The peace and tranquility of the scene was suddenly interrupted when Jonny heard a faint sound. It sounded like someone was out here in the woods with him. Jonny quickly hopped down off of the branch and onto the ground, landing gracefully. He began to move closer to the sound. He moved through some nearby foliage, pushing his way through bush after bush as he continued to near the sounds. He noticed that there was more than one voice. Whoever it was, they were trying to keep their voices low. As Jonny continued to near the sounds, he realized they sounded less like voices and more like grunts and moans. Jonny's body began to tense up and his heart began to beat faster and faster. He reached the end of a log line of bushes, trees, and vines and peeked his head out of the bush. He looked out into a small clearing which had small streams of light pouring in from the canopy above it. Jonny felt his throat tighten like a vice and his eyes almost pop out of his head at what he beheld when he looked over near a small grouping of trees.

A few articles of clothing were strewn around, namely a yellow bowling shirt, a black tank top, a white shirt, a few pairs of pants, and some undergarments. He first saw the two naked girls. He instantly recognized them and began to blush. But when he saw who was with them, he almost wanted to cry out in sorrow and pain. He didn't want to accept what he was seeing. It wasn't real. But there it was right in front of him. Just like Plank had said. He hadn't been lying. He had been telling the truth the whole time. But Jonny refused to listen. Plank hadn't betrayed him; he had betrayed Plank. He should've known better than to trust Eddy over Plank. Jonny slowly crept back into the bushes, hoping that the noises the three of them were making would mask his escape. As soon as Jonny thought he was out of hearing distance, he began to run at break-neck speed back to the cul-de-sac. He didn't feel the tears running down his cheeks. He had to find Plank. He had to say sorry to his best friend. He had to tell him that he didn't mean what he had said. He had to tell him that Eddy _was_ the scum bag that Plank made him out to be. Plank was all that was on his mind. And so was the image of May, Marie, and Eddy having sex in the middle of the woods.

* * *

Rolf looked proudly over his work in the front yard of his house. He admired the carefully cut lawn, which he had spent six hours trimming with a small pair of shears. He admired the bushes that lined the side of his yard, which he had also trimmed very carefully. Rolf suddenly spotted someone walking by his house: Jimmy. It had been a while since the last Urban Rangers meeting, so Rolf hadn't spoken to Jimmy in a while. That's why the fact that Jimmy looked so depressed was so strange to Rolf. He wondered to himself what was troubling Jimmy before walking to the end of his lawn to greet him. "Hello, Jimmy," Rolf greeted, causing Jimmy to look up at the towering young man.

"Hey," Jimmy said weakly. It was obvious that he was in no mood to talk, but Rolf, being the talkative foreigner he was, decided to press on and see if he could find out what was troubling the preteen.

"Is something weighing heavily on your mind?" Rolf asked. Only Jimmy and Sarah knew about what had happened over at his house, and he definitely wasn't planning on sharing it with Rolf, the same going for his plans to get revenge on Edd.

"Oh, it's nothing, Rolf. I just... well, I miss Sarah. She ran off to go do something and now I can't find her anywhere," Jimmy lied, although it was quite a believable one considering that everyone knew how attached to Sarah he was.

"Ah, Jimmy is missing the sibling of the Ed-boy. Rolf sympathizes with your plight, as he too misses a great many people: those from his old country that Rolf may never see again," Rolf began, much to Jimmy's dismay. He knew that whenever Rolf got to talking about his 'old country', he could go on for quite some time. Even now, no one knew what country Rolf really came from; they were sure it was somewhere in Europe or maybe even the Middle East, but the actual country in particular was still a mystery. "It pains Rolf to think back to the many jovial moments he shared with the people from his old village. Like the elderly cabbage lady who always used to milk Rolf's cows for free while he rode into town on the back of his half-wit goa-"

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Rolf, but I think I remembered where Sarah was going. See you later," Jimmy said, cutting off Rolf mid-sentence before walking away. Rolf was a bit angry that Jimmy had seen it fit to interrupt him before he could finish his story, but, like every other rude thing that the other kids did toward him, he just shrugged it off. Rolf usually didn't mind the rest of the kids treating him a bit unfairly, as he usually would just chalk it up to some sort of cultural difference. Of course, there were exceptions that Rolf would truly take offense to, such as insulting his families honor, but, other than those sort of extreme circumstances, Rolf usually just laughed off anything that bothered him. It was probably the strongest part of him; sure, he was strong physically and was quite smart for someone from his old country, but it was his ability to adapt more quickly to the differences between the cultures of the rest of Peach Creek and his that truly made him stand apart from the rest of his family, who were much less open to Western influences. Rolf sighed before turning around and heading to his back yard, where he knew more work was waiting for him to complete.

Jimmy walked slowly away from Rolf's house, knowing that he didn't really know where Sarah was; he didn't care either. He would have to worry about mending their broken friendship later. For now, he was more focused on thinking about how he was going to get back at Edd. Jimmy was quite the clever little boy, even outwitting Edd himself on several occasions. He slowly went down a checklist of ideas. But all of them seemed so childish. So petty. Jimmy wanted to get Edd back for real, and not through some child-like prank that would only hurt Edd for a while. He needed to send a clear message to stay away from Sarah. He knew just who to go to.

* * *

"Plank?" Jonny called out as he entered his back yard. He had to find Plank and beg him to come back to him. He had to find the little board and tell him how wrong he was. He had to. For his sake and for Plank's as well. Jonny ran across the yard to where he had kicked Plank and gasped: he wasn't there. There was a small indentation in the grass where Plank had been laying, but it was missing one thing: the board that had made it. Jonny fell down on his knees. He couldn't believe it. Plank was gone. He had left. It was as if Jonny's world was crashing down around him. The friend that had only been trying to protect Jonny was now gone. How could Plank do this to him? How could he leave Jonny out to dry like this? Didn't he see that he had left Jonny when he needed him most?

Jonny's fists suddenly balled up and the muscles in his arms tensed up. Eddy. It was Eddy who did this. If it wasn't for Eddy, he never would've fought with Plank. Eddy had driven a wedge between him and Plank, and now Plank was gone. Jonny was seething with a brooding, dark anger. He was going to make Eddy pay for ruining the relationship between Jonny and the only person he had ever called a friend.

* * *

Kevin sat on the sidewalk of the adjacent cul-de-sac, which had formerly been known by the kids as the construction site. Of course, the cul-de-sac had finished construction about a year ago, but the kids still called it the construction site as more of an endearing term than one that actually described what it was. A few people had moved into some of the houses, but they were all either too old for the kids to care about or their kids were too young to really want to get to know. He had searched high and low for Nazz, but he couldn't find her; it was odd how little the suburbs of Peach Creek were yet how hard it was to find who were you looking for. Kevin looked to his side and spotted a familiar face: Sarah. Kevin quickly stood up, knowing that if Sarah had something to tell him it was probably about the Eds. "I'm guessing you're not here just to chat, right?" Kevin asked Sarah as she stopped a few feet away from him.

"It's about the Eds," Sarah began as she leaned in a little, wanting to keep their conversation more private. "But we don't want to talk about it here... they might be listening or something. Come on, let's go head to the lane and talk about it," Sarah whispered, Kevin nodding quickly. The two of them took off toward the lane. Little did they know, someone had seen them whispering to each other from afar, and was now following them to their destination. Kevin and Sarah found a good spot between two dumpsters to have their little Ed-meeting, so Sarah motioned for him to move in closer.

"Alright, what is it? Did you find out what those dorks were up to?" Kevin asked, eager to hear of what the Eds were planning.

"No... but I did find Ed and Double D in the middle of the cul-de-sac earlier. What happened doesn't really matter, but Double D said something pretty interesting..." Sarah trailed off before leaning over to Kevin's ear and repeating what Edd had said earlier. Kevin donned a little grin.

"Ha, I knew those dorks were up to something. And now that we got confirmation right out of the horse's mouth, we can start to plan on how we're gonna react to their stupid little plan," Kevin answered.

"Well, we don't even know what they're planning, so how are we gonna 'plan' on reacting to it?" Sarah asked. Kevin and Sarah didn't notice how loud they were talking, and failed to realize that anybody could be listening in on them.

"Good point... we just need some way to find out what they're planning..." Kevin trailed off as he rubbed his chin in thought. The Eds were quite elusive; after all, it took Sarah half the day just to find out where Ed and Edd were, so finding the Eds would be half the battle. Not only that, but it's not like the Eds would just willingly tell the kids what they were planning. No, they would have to find an alternate tactic.

"I may have a solution," a voice suddenly rung out from behind one of the dumpsters.

"Shit, someone was listening!" Kevin exclaimed, fearful that it was one of the Eds. The person stepped out from behind the dumpster; it was Jimmy. On seeing Jimmy, Sarah was quite surprised; after all, Jimmy had been cooped up in his house since the little incident between them, and seeing him outside was a little weird. Not only that, but she didn't know what to say to him; after all, what could she say? Jimmy didn't seem to care about that little indiscretion at this second anyway. He seemed much more interested in the conversation Kevin and Sarah just had. "What do you want, fluffy?"

"It's not what I want that matters, it's what you want. You want to know what the Eds are planning? Fine. I know exactly how to find out," Jimmy informed Kevin and Sarah, who suddenly took an interest in what he had to say.

"But... why would you want to help us? The Eds didn't even do anything to you..." Sarah commented, finding the courage to speak up to her once best friend.

"Look, it doesn't matter what I have to gain or lose... I just want to see the Eds suffer. That's all that should matter to you two," Jimmy said. He seemed like a changed person; sure, Jimmy was devious before, but he always had an air of happiness and playfulness about him. Now... now Jimmy seemed like a cold, methodical person devoid of any sort of emotion. Sarah hoped that it wasn't because of what had happened between him and her. She didn't want it to be her fault.

"Well..." Kevin began as he looked over to Sarah. Sarah nodded, and then he returned his gaze to Jimmy. "Fine... but there's two ground rules I want to lay down first. Number one, you can't breath a word of this to anyone. Number two, Sarah and I make all of the decisions when it comes to the Eds. I don't want you doing anything stupid to blow our cover. You got it?" Kevin asked Jimmy, who nodded slowly in understanding. "Now that we got all the formalities out of the way, I just want to know something... were you following us the whole time?" Kevin asked.

"No. I was walking down the lane when I heard you two talking and decided to eavesdrop," Jimmy explained. Kevin furrowed his brow.

"Then who was..." Kevin trailed off as he thought back to when he and Sarah had just meant at the construction site.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, curious as to what was troubling Kevin.

"Nothing... I just... well I thought I saw someone watching us earlier at the construction site. I guess it was just my imagina-" Kevin was cut off when Jonny hopped the fence across from them and landed lightly in front of the three of them. "Damn, how many people were listening in on us?" Kevin complained, realizing that Jonny was probably the one who was spying on them. Sarah, Jimmy, and Kevin all noticed that Plank was nowhere to be seen, which was extremely odd.

"You better not tell anyone what you heard, fat head, or-" Sarah began furiously, only to be interrupted by Jonny.

"Wait... I want in on this too," Jonny said.

"What? You too? What the hell did the Eds do to you?" Kevin asked, surprised at the amount of support this group was getting.

"Eddy... he..." Jonny contemplated telling the three what he had seen Eddy doing in the woods, but he decided against it. "... he ruined the friendship between me and Plank. Now I just want him to pay for driving me and my best friend apart," Jonny explained, causing Kevin and Sarah to grin evilly.

"Damn, it looks like we got us a little Anti-Ed support group going on here. Well this is good, the more people we have on board with this the easier we can find out what the hell the Eds are up to, put a stop to it, and get a little revenge along the way too," Kevin proclaimed as Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny listened intently, the three of them nodding in agreement. Sarah turned to Jimmy.

"Jimmy... you said you knew how to get the Eds to talk?" Sarah asked. Jimmy nodded before clearing his throat.

"The Eds are afraid of you two-" Jimmy motioned toward Kevin and Sarah "-there's no denying that... but even then, you guys probably wouldn't be able to beat or scare out of them what they're planning. But I know just the three who could..." Jimmy suggested as he motioned for Kevin, Sarah, and Jonny to move in closer so he could further explain his devious plan.

* * *

The door slid shut behind Eddy as he stumbled weakly into his room. He fell down onto his bed and stuffed his face into his pillows. He didn't want the world to see his face anymore. He had once again been forced to give himself over to the Kankers, and he had never felt so violated, dirty, or so traitorous before. He couldn't keep up the charade much longer. He couldn't lie to himself, he liked it. He liked doing whatever he wanted with the Kankers, but, even when he had finally found the will to say no, the Kankers once again had the upper hand. Now they had him. He couldn't do anything about the Kankers. If he ever tried to resist again, he knew that they would blow the lid on the relationship Eddy had with them. Eddy had always thought that this sort of relationship was possible; 'Friends with Benefits' was what a lot of people called it. Well, Eddy had made one minor mistake when attempting to form such a relationship: he had taken out the part about friends and replaced it with enemies. The Kankers knew that Eddy hated them, and now they were making him suffer more than ever; he would be forced to go to the ones he hated whenever they wanted.

Eddy didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to do about a lot of things in his life. He didn't know what to do about Kevin. He didn't know what to do about Sarah. But those two problems seemed so minor compared to the huge, looming, life-draining problem that was the Kankers. It would be an understatement to say that the Kankers were the worst thing that ever happened to him. Even worse than his brother. But his brother wasn't here right now, and the Kankers were. He wished they would do just like his brother and move so far away that he didn't have to see them ever again. But he knew that as long as he drew breath, the Kankers would be right there waiting to take it away from him every chance they got.

Eddy lifted his head from his pillow at the sudden ringing of his telephone. He knew who it was. And he dreaded the lies he'd have to make up. Eddy lifted himself off of his bed, his body still weak from his earlier exertions. He started to walk to the phone. His body felt so weak. Maybe it was because he was doing something he regretted. Or maybe it was because Marie and May were so damn rough with him. He didn't know which. Eddy reached the phone and quickly snatched it up.

"Hello," Eddy said into the telephone.

"Eddy, oh thank God! I thought for sure the Kankers had caught you," Edd cried into the telephone, sounding very relieved that Eddy was okay. Eddy sighed. He could lie to Edd and say he escaped. But he thought about it, and decided that a half truth was better than no truth.

"I didn't... those fuckers got me," Eddy admitted into the telephone. He heard the line go silent for a second. Edd was probably letting the news sink in.

"I'm... I'm so sorry, Eddy... Ed and I... we had to run... we-"

"It's okay," Eddy answered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "They didn't do much, they just kissed me and... grabbed me a little," Eddy lied, knowing the Edd would probably buy whatever he said.

"I'm sorry, Eddy... I can't say it enough. We should've stayed with... we should've been there for you instead running off like cowards," Edd lamented.

"No, you shouldn't have. It was good what you did. It's better that one of us suffers instead of all of us," Eddy said into the telephone.

"Thank you, Eddy. I just... I don't think Ed and I could've handled the situation so well..." Edd admitted. "But... are you sure you're okay? Your voice is shaking very badly..." Eddy's eyes widened. He hadn't noticed how badly his voice was shaking. He noticed the hand that held the telephone to his ear was shaking too.

"Yeah... it's just... well I'm just so fucking pissed at those Kankers," Eddy said. That part wasn't a lie. "I just... I'm just fucking tired of their asses."

"I know, I know, Eddy, and I think it's about time we started to try to fix that problem as well," Edd said, causing Eddy's throat to tighten.

"No!" Eddy yelled into the telephone. He couldn't let Ed and Edd get involved with the Kankers. He knew one of two things would probably happen if they did. Either the Kankers would tell Ed and Edd what Eddy had done, or they'd try to pull the same shit on Ed and Edd too. Eddy knew he couldn't bare the thought of either of those possibilities. He hated the thought of Ed and Edd knowing about his shame and hating him for it, and he hated the thought of Ed and Edd having to suffer through the Kankers' rapes even more. Because that's what they were. Eddy may have given in willingly the first two times, but the third time... that was rape. There was no getting around it. As the realization that he had been raped fell upon Eddy, he went silent. He had always imagined liking sex. But no. He hated it. Because he had chosen the three worse people possible to do it with. And now he had been raped.

"Eddy?" Edd asked into the line, concerned about Eddy's sudden silence. Eddy tried to hold back tears as the thoughts swirled around in his head. The memories of Ed and Edd and all the good times were suddenly replaced by horrid images of Marie on top of him, of May's mouth on him, of Lee... no, he couldn't bare the memories. He tried to push them out of his head, but it was like they had been branded into his mind. They were there permanently. There was no burning the pictures, no shoving them away into some dark corner of his mind. They were his new friends and they were here to stay.

"Double D..." Eddy moaned into the line as tears slid down his cheeks. He couldn't hold them in anymore. He knew what he had to do. "We... we can't be friends anymore." He heard Edd gasp on the other end of the line.

"What... what are you talking about Eddy?" Edd asked. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Eddy not be friends with him? That wasn't possible. He must have misheard Eddy. There's no way Eddy had just spoken those five words.

"I... I made a mistake Double D. And now I have to pay the price. You and Ed need to stay away from me. For... for your own good," Eddy said tearfully into the line. He could hear his voice shaking now. He could feel the pain that each word brought upon him as he spoke them. And he knew Edd felt the same pain that he did.

"But... but... why?" Edd asked. He could tell that Edd was tearing up on the other end of the line. He so badly wanted to tell Edd why. He didn't want Edd to not understand. If he told Edd, he knew he'd understand. He always did. But he couldn't. Where he found the strength to tell Edd that they couldn't be friends anymore, he couldn't find the strength to tell him about the Kankers. And he was ashamed of that. It was proof to him that the was doing the right thing by cutting off his friendship with Ed and Edd.

"It doesn't matter... all you need to know is that you need to stay the hell away from me. If I catch you two trying to get anywhere near me, I'll punch your lights out!" Eddy screamed into the phone before slamming it down hard on the base. He was panting heavily. He felt like steam was trapped inside his clothes and was trying to escape from his collar. He felt the tears of anguish and regret pouring down his face. He felt horrible. He knew that Edd probably felt the same way. But he had done it for the good of Ed and Edd. He knew he had to hurt them in order to protect them from being hurt.

* * *

"I'm having second thoughts about this, guys..." Sarah whispered to Kevin, Jimmy, and Jonny as they stood at the entrance of the trailer park. At Jimmy's suggestion of going to the Kankers, Sarah, Kevin, and Jonny couldn't help but start shaking with fear; after all, Sarah and Jonny were scared senseless of the Kankers, and Kevin had just had several bad experiences in a row with them that he didn't want to repeat any time soon.

"If you want to find out what the Eds are doing, then this is the way to do it," Jimmy explained as he turned to Sarah. He had a blank and empty look on his face; the same look he had had the whole walk to the trailer park. Jimmy knew that the Kankers were reliable when it came to the Eds, as he had made many deals with them in the past; whenever the Eds were the prize, the Kankers were always there to claim it.

"You better know what you're talking about, Jimmy, or we're all gonna be Kanker-bait," Kevin warned as he, Sarah, and Jonny began to follow Jimmy into the trailer park. Jimmy walked quickly but methodically, and the others found it hard to keep up; half because he was walking so fast, and half because they were fearful of what was going to happen when they disturbed the Kankers. Jimmy froze at the corner of one of the trailers, and motioned for the others to stop. Jimmy peaked around the corner of the trailer and spotted the Kankers, who, unlike usual, were not in the middle of doing chores, but were simply hanging out outside of their trailer; May was talking enthusiastically about something Jimmy couldn't hear, while Marie and Lee leaned up against the trailer and listened to her blathering, both of them looking quite bored. Jimmy turned back toward the others, a slightly fearful expression on his face. Jimmy was in a very dark and brooding mood, but even the sight of the Kankers could break him out of that very quickly.

"Well?" Jonny asked, feeling like he was going to wet himself; he was scared senseless; his want for revenge on Eddy was great, but he too wanted to tuck his tail between his legs and run.

"They're outside of their trailer. Now's as good a time as any," Jimmy said quietly, his voice a little high pitched. It was obvious he was very scared; but then, Sarah, Kevin, and Jonny were all obviously scared too, so they were all in the same boat. Jimmy sighed and straightened himself up before motioning for the others to follow him. They walked out from behind the trailer and began to slowly creep toward the Kankers. Marie looked over and spotted them, and then her mouth, which was a bored frown before, quickly twisted into a grin.

"Look girls, we got company," Marie said before shoving her hand into May's mouth to shut her up. Jimmy and the others froze; Kevin, Jonny, and Sarah all looked to Jimmy for direction; he was the one who brought them out here and he was going to be the one who did all the talking. May pulled Marie's hand away from her mouth and shot her an angry look before turning to the kids too. Jimmy just stood there staring at them for a second, losing his train of thought; not only were the others putting all the pressure on him, he was staring face to face with three girls that terrorized him and the others just about everyday.

"I'm guessing you guys didn't come all the way out here to stare at us like idiots, so what tell me what the hell you're doing in _our_ trailer park or our feet will be escorting you out by your asses," Lee threatened said as she smirked at the four dumbstruck kids.

"No need for that," Jimmy choked out nervously, hoping to avoid any trouble, "we're just here to make a... um... proposition." All three of the Kankers perked up at the word; after all, whenever there were deals to be made, the Kankers always got what they wanted.

"A 'proposition', huh? Well you came to the right place, kid," Marie answered as she and her sisters approached Jimmy, who felt like he was going to collapse with fear.

"So what do you runts need, huh?" Lee asked.

"Well... we need you three to do a little rough housing for us," Jimmy responded. "You see, we believe the Eds are planning something big, and we know that that if we confront them they probably won't tell us. But if you three were to go after them, then that would be a different story," Jimmy explained.

"Uh oh, looks like the Eds have a dirty little secret," May teased as Marie and Lee giggled.

"Alright, squirt, that sounds easy enough... but what's in it for us?" Lee asked as she crossed her arms. Jimmy looked back to the others, unsure of what to offer in return.

"Uh... okay... well..." Jimmy started as he turned back to the Kankers. Jimmy honestly had no idea what to say; after all, he was only twelve, what could _he_ possibly offer that the Kankers would want?

"How about you three do it for free?" Kevin asked as he stepped forward, suddenly finding a hidden reserve of courage. "After all, you three did wreck my bike, _and_ got me grounded! You three owe me!" Lee stepped forward and looked Kevin straight in the eyes.

"We don't owe you nothing, asshole. You made a bet, you lost, and that's that," Lee answered firmly. Kevin gritted his teeth in anger.

"God, I can't believe you're _still _butt hurt over us whipping your ass in that race. Ever heard of taking it like a man?" Marie interjected before Lee turned back to Jimmy.

"Tell you what: how about you just let us beat this fucker's ass-" Lee pointed to Kevin, "-and that will be all the payment we need." Kevin's expression turned from anger to fear.

"Wait, hold on, I didn't mean it-"

"Wait!" Jimmy exclaimed before getting in between Kevin and the angry Kankers. "Kevin, just let go of it, okay?" Jimmy suggested as he looked back at Kevin and gave him a pleading look. Kevin let out a small sigh before nodding slowly. "Good," Jimmy said before turning back to the Kankers, who were starting to cool off. "As for your payment, I assumed you three would've just liked an excuse to go see the Eds anyway..." Jimmy said.

"Hey, you shouldn't assume shit, kid, cause when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me," Marie quipped, causing Jimmy to start to panic; after all, if the Kankers wouldn't settle for a visit to the Eds, what could he and the others possibly give the Kankers that was of value to them? "But..." Marie started as she looked over to her sisters, "... you assumed right in this case. Of course we'll do it for free." Jimmy and the others sighed with relief.

"Alright, girls, let's move out," Lee commanded as May and Marie began to follow her toward the cul-de-sac.

"Wait, shouldn't we agree on a meeting place?" Jimmy asked, causing Lee to stop and turn.

"Don't worry your little puffy head about that, we'll come and find you four when we're done with the Eds," Lee answered, putting bad images of what the Kankers had in store for the Eds in Kevin, Sarah, Jonny, and Jimmy's heads. Of course, these bad images were good images to them; after all, if the Kankers made the Eds suffer, that's all that mattered. With that, the Kankers walked off, leaving the kids standing around by themselves in front of the their trailer.

"Damn that was scary," Sarah let out when the Kankers were gone. All four of them had relieved expressions on their faces, like a one ton weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

"Hell yeah it was, but at least we're gonna finally find out what they're planning," Kevin said before turning to Jimmy. "Good work, Jimmy, I knew letting you in our little group was a good idea," Kevin said as punched Jimmy lightly on the arm.

"Sure... I just hope the Kankers find out something good we can use against the Eds," Jimmy said; although he really just wanted to get at Edd, making him and his friends suffer was even better. Jonny felt a little like he was betraying the group after Jimmy's statement; it reminded him of the dark secret he was hiding for Eddy. He didn't understand why he was hiding it. After all, he wanted to get back at Eddy for ruining the friendship between he and Plank. Something was stopping him, however; maybe it was his conscious, although the thought seemed odd to him, since he didn't stop the others from sending the Kankers, of all people, after the Eds. It had to be his conscious. It was his conscious that was telling him that he would utterly destroy Eddy's life if he told the others. Who knows what they would do to Eddy or who else they would tell?

"I guess that's that, then. We shouldn't get back together until after we get the information from the Kankers; after all, we'll look kind of suspicious if we hang around each other. Whoever the Kankers go to to tell everything they found out has to come and get all of us. Once we know what they know, then we can make our move and end whatever those dorks are up to. Got it?" Kevin explained; the others nodded their heads, and then the four of them broke off into separate directions. Sarah watched as Jimmy went a different direction than her; normally the two of them would go off together. But not anymore. Whatever there was between them was gone, and that saddened Sarah to no end. She hoped making the Eds suffer would make her feel better. It always did.


	9. The Notebook

**Author's Note: **_Once again, thank you for all the awesome reviews you guys leave me, and to all of the other people who have been reading my story. Here's chapter nine, and please, like always, read and review._

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Edd stared at the phone as he stood in silence in his house. It had been about ten minutes since Eddy called, but he still couldn't believe what he had heard. Why would Eddy say that? Did he really mean it? Was their friendship really over so easily? Edd didn't know the answers to those questions. The second two questions were obvious but Edd refused to believe their answers; the first one, on the other hand, was one that he could not answer. He had no idea why Eddy would break off their friendship like that. It made no sense. And Edd loved it when things made sense. Then again, with friends like Ed and Eddy, very little made sense anyway. Edd started to choke up. He had been crying the whole time since the call had ended. He wished he could wipe the tears away and go tell Ed. But that was the part that scared him the most. He had no idea how Ed would react to the fact that Eddy was no longer a part of their group for some unknown reason.

Edd felt like if he knew why Eddy had abandoned he and Ed, he might be able to help Eddy. He could tell Eddy how to solve the problem so their friendship could stay intact. But Eddy hadn't told him why; only that, if he knew what was good for he and Ed, they would stay away from him. Why? Edd didn't know.

"Double D?" Ed asked, concerned about his friend, as he entered Edd's room, several snacks in hand. Edd turned his head to face Ed, and Ed spotted the tears running down Edd's face. "What..." was all Ed could say as Edd started to move toward Ed. He grabbed Ed lightly by the arm and pulled him over to his bed, but not before letting Ed set all the snacks down on Edd's desk. Edd motioned for Ed to sit down on his bed, and he complied. Ed adjusted himself into a comfortable position and then looked up at Edd. Edd hadn't said a word to him, but he could tell that something major had just happened. "Was there an alien invasion?" Ed asked, completely oblivious to what was really going on. To Ed, that was a serious problem worthy of crying over.

"No," Edd said flatly as he sobbed. "Listen... Ed..." Edd said weakly as Ed swung his legs back and forth, waiting for Edd to explain everything to him. Edd could go into detail about the conversation that had occurred on the phone. He could tell Ed all the questions that were left unanswered with Eddy's announcement, all the burning voids that were left unfilled when Eddy broke off their friendship. He instead decided to keep it simple. "Eddy's not our friend anymore," Edd said simply. Ed stopped swinging his legs and time seemed to freeze for him. Ed couldn't believe what Edd had just said. At first he thought Edd was joking. After all, although Eddy couldn't be very stubborn and mean sometimes, he was very loyal to his friends. But he saw the tears sliding down Edd's cheeks, and the completely serious expression on his face. Ed started to cry too. He jumped off of the bed and pulled Edd into a big hug. Edd didn't resist this time, instead returning his hug.

"B-B-But why... why Double D?" Ed sputtered as he watched his tears spatter all over the carpeting behind Edd.

"I don't know, Ed... I... I wish I did, but I just don't know," Edd answered as Ed hugged him tightly. Edd felt like they were alone, the only survivors of a shipwreck. He felt like they were on an island with sharks swimming everywhere around them. What were the two of them supposed to do without Eddy? Regardless of all the fights the Eds had gotten into with each other, Eddy was truly their leader. He was the one who guided them on most occasions. But not anymore. The Eds had lost their guiding light. Ed was the soul of the Eds. Edd was the smart of the Eds. But the Eds had lost one of their important parts, which was their determination: Eddy. Without Eddy, how would they go on? Especially now that the Eds had set out to fix all of their problems. Even if Ed and Edd continued the plan, Eddy was no longer with them. If Ed and Edd solved their problems, those same problems would still be present for Eddy. Except now Eddy was alone; even more so than Ed and Edd. Eddy had no other friends besides them. How was Eddy supposed to make it alone? Eddy was no loner. He thrived off of the attention of others. It was almost impossible to think of Eddy standing on his own with no friends.

"What do we do now?" Ed asked as he let go of Edd, who almost fell on the ground; he had been using Ed both as an emotional support as well as a physical one to keep his weak and shaking body from falling to the ground. He looked up at the lumbering young man who stood over him; the one who was now looking to him for guidance.

"I... I really don't know. I usually know the answers to these types of things. But this... this is different. Without Eddy, I fear we may be a bit lost," Edd said as he rubbed the back of his head. He didn't know what to say, what to do, or what to even think next. Without Eddy, everything suddenly seemed so strange and difficult. "Listen... let's just go out and have a walk. I'm sure the fresh air will help us... help us think more clearly about all of this," Edd suggested, garnering a slow nod from Ed, who was busy wiping tears out of his eyes. As the two of them headed for the exit of Edd's room, Edd eyed his notebook that read 'My Solutions' on the front. It was laying on his desk, the lamp hanging above it casting a light down on it. Edd didn't know if it would be of any use anymore. With Eddy no longer their friend, Edd didn't know if any of the solutions in the notebook would work. He knew he would have to toss it out as soon as he got back home, but he decided that the walk with Ed would probably help him plan out the rest of his day, and perhaps the rest of Ed's as well. The two of them walked out of Edd's room, and Edd shut the door behind them as they exited.

* * *

The doorknob on Ed's door jiggled around slightly as someone tampered with it from the outside. The lock suddenly clicked open on the doorknob, and the door slowly swung open just enough for May to peek into Ed's room. She began to scan around the room with her eyes for any sign of Ed. After the chase from earlier, Ed and Edd had escaped, and she figured they might have gone to Ed's room to hide out. But it was apparent that she had been wrong, as there was no one there. May sighed before swinging the door open all the way and strutting inside like she owned the place. She figured that, even if Ed wasn't here, there might still be something useful here to tell her what the Eds were doing that the kids wanted to know so bad. She was surprised at how clean and spotless Ed's room was; usually it was a nightmare of junk food, mold, old clothes, animals, bugs, dirt, grime, and sticky fluids, but his room was absolutely spotless, and also quite bare of Ed's usual belongings, such as his posters and models.

May first walked over to his bed and lifted up the mattress to check under it. Nothing. May set the mattress back down and then walked over to the closet, quickly grabbing it and swinging it open when she reached it. There was nothing but some clothes hanging in there that were swaying back and forth. May sucked her teeth before shutting the closet. She turned around and began to rub her chin. Ed's room was so clean that there was really nowhere to hide anything secretive or of value. May turned around and went into Ed's bathroom. There was nothing in there. Even Ed's bathtub, which was normally filled to the brim with gravy, was empty and spotless. May had no idea why Ed had the sudden change of heart and cleaned his entire room from top and bottom, but that didn't matter; it was obvious that Ed wasn't hiding anything, so she just shrugged her shoulders and departed the same way she came in, making sure to shut the door lightly behind her.

* * *

Lee slid open the door to Eddy's room and ran inside, hoping to get the drop on Eddy if he was there; after all, he had escaped from her earlier that day, and this would be the perfect opportunity to ambush him. Unfortunately, he wasn't there, so Lee straightened up and began to look around the room. The kids had been awfully vague about what she and her sisters were supposed to be looking for, but, whatever it was, the Eds were being very secretive about it, so Lee knew she should probably look around for any clues. Lee started by examining Eddy's dresser, which had all manner of products strewn across the top of it. Lee went through all the drawers, pulling out underwear, socks, and other articles of under garments as she went through each drawer. There was nothing. Lee then went to Eddy's bed and got on all fours. She knew that Eddy kept a lot of dirty magazines tucked under his bed, and her thought was confirmed when she saw piles and piles of them stacked neatly. She pushed them out the way, knowing that the magazines were probably not what the kids were after. There was nothing there save for dozens of cans of soda and a lot of junk food, which struck Lee as odd. She just shrugged it off and stood back up. It was clear that, whatever the kids were after, it wasn't in Eddy's room, so Lee, resigned to defeat, decided that she should go check to see if her sisters had found anything of interest. With that, she exited Eddy's room just as quickly as she had came.

A few seconds after Lee's exit, Eddy came in through his other door that led into his house and he stopped dead in his tracks. He could tell someone had just been in his room. After all, his dresser was slightly out of order, and it looked like someone had crammed all of his clothing back into the drawers in a hurry. He just sighed; he had probably done it. He had been so out of it he had probably messed around with his drawer and just forgot about it. Eddy slowly walked over to his bed and sat down. He had no idea what to do now. He knew breaking the friendship between he and Ed and Edd was the best thing to do, but he didn't know what to do without his friends. He felt like moping around his house all day, but that felt like a waste of time. Hell, he felt like a waste of time; he was starting to realize that his friends were the only reason he had made it this far without giving up.

Eddy couldn't rely on that anymore, however. He knew that, no matter how badly he wanted to stay friends with Ed and Edd, he couldn't. If he did, the Kankers would get them just as they had gotten them. He knew that the Kankers would be back for more, maybe later in the day or even tomorrow. But Eddy didn't care. He would let them do what they wanted to him as long as they kept their dirty, nasty claws off of Ed and Edd. Just the thought of them doing what they had done to him to his two former best friends made him cringe. He laid back on his bed and stared up at the feeling. Despite the feeling that everything was falling apart at the seams, Eddy felt relieved. He felt like he had saved his two best friends from a fate worse than death. Eddy closed his eyes and let his weary body rest, soon drifting off into sleep.

* * *

"Dammit," Marie cursed as she stood at the doorway of Edd's room; Marie was pissed at seeing that he wasn't home. She had wanted to spend some quality time with him before getting the information she needed, but it appeared that it wasn't going to be like that. Marie strolled casually into Edd's room and looked around at the many items he had neatly organized everywhere. From a microscope to a telescope, from a set of test tubes and beakers to his ant farm, it seemed like Edd had a plethora of gadgets that could entertain one for hours. Marie walked over to Edd's bed and flopped down on it. She figured she might as well wait for the sock-hatted Ed to return. After all, if the Eds were hiding something, he would be the one to know what it was. Marie sighed happily as she nestled her head onto Edd's pillow. She was very satisfied with the way things were going; not only were she and her sisters getting all that they ever wanted out of Eddy, she was sure that soon Ed and Edd would follow suit, and then they would be theirs to have whenever they wanted. The thought made her mind and body tingle with an indescribable excitement.

She could picture Edd lying there on his bed, she on top of him as she made him do whatever she wanted. Her throat began to dry up. She was getting a little too excited over the thought, and it even scared her a little. Why was she so excited over having power over Edd and his friends? She knew her sisters felt the same way. Marie mentally shrugged and began to hum lightly; after all, it was obvious why she was so excited. Because she loved having the power to make people do whatever she wanted. And that went for the other kids too, not just the Eds. It was a feeling unmatched by anything else she had ever experienced. She had had quite the fill of that feeling earlier today when she and May forced themselves onto Eddy. That was definitely the high point of the day, perhaps even of the entire time the Kankers had known the Eds. While Eddy had given in the other two times the Kankers had seen him, those times paled in comparison to the third time in the woods. Eddy had tried to resist that time, but she and May still had their way with him. It was pure bliss. And she had a feeling that Edd was going to be even better than Eddy.

Marie's eyes wandered around the room as she thought, and slowly rested upon a notebook that was sitting on Edd's desk, the light from his lamp washing down upon it. Marie's interest was piqued by the sight, so she got off of his bed and then moved over to the desk to see what it was. She stopped in front of the desk and then snatched the notebook off of it to get a better look. The front of the book read in big, bold letters 'My Solutions'. Marie figured it may have been something for a summer assignment; after all, the school routinely gave all of the kids some sort of work over the summer. Not that Marie ever did the work. Even with this thought in mind, Marie shrugged and opened it anyway. She was surprised when, instead of an essay on a book or several lines of math problems, she saw 'Sarah' written at the top of the page.

"Hey... isn't that Ed's little sister?" Marie commented to herself. Now she was interested. She began to go down the page, reading everything that Edd had written. A smile began to creep across her face as she continued to read, turning page after page. She reached another section that read 'Kevin' at the top of the page, and she began to read through that section as well. When she reached the end of that section, she reached the most interesting section: the section that read 'The Kanker Sisters' at the top. As she read everything Edd had written about them, Marie's grin began to widen rapidly. This was definitely what the kids were looking for. She closed the notebook and quickly exited Edd's room. She had to find her sisters, show them what she had found, and then they had to find the kids. They were going to love this.

* * *

"Is this how you do it, Rolf?" Nazz asked as she held a hoe in her hands and slowly tilled a patch of soil. Nazz and Rolf were in Rolf's backyard, and Nazz was helping Rolf tend to his duties in hopes that he would be able to hang out with her if the chores were completed fast enough.

"Yes, Rolf is pleased at your progress in the way of the readying of the soil, Nazz-girl," Rolf responded as he did the same, save for the fact that he actually looked like he knew what he was doing. "Rolf was wondering, however... why would you choose to assist Rolf in his chores instead of finding Kevin and enjoying your day with him?"

"Well... I would, but I can't find him anywhere... same goes for Sarah, Jimmy, Jonny, and even the Eds," Nazz answered as she stopped tilling and faced Rolf. "It's like they all just disappeared."

"Missing you say?" Rolf questioned as he too stopped tilling. "Are you sure they did not unite at Kevin's house for yet another celebration of who-knows-what?"

"If you mean a party, then no. I checked everyone's houses, and there was no one there. Besides, if there was a party, Kevin definitely would have told you or me," Nazz explained as Rolf nodded in agreement.

"Indeed..." Rolf muttered as he furrowed his brow. "Then perhaps we should both search for-" Rolf suddenly stopped when he spotted Ed and Edd walking in woods behind the fence that went around his yard. "Ah, there are two of the three Ed-boys now!" Rolf exclaimed as Nazz turned around and spotted them as well. Rolf and Nazz dropped the hoes where they stood and then walked over to Rolf's fence.

"Hey, Ed and Double D, can you guys come over here for a second?" Nazz called out, causing Ed and Edd to turn to them. They both looked sort of depressed, but they walked over to Nazz and Rolf anyway.

"What is it?" Edd asked, sounding quite exasperated. Nazz noted the difference in Edd's usual greeting; sure, he hadn't been rude, but he was usually quite cordial when it came to Nazz and the others.

"Rolf and I were hoping you could tell us what happened to everyone," Nazz began as Edd listened and Ed stood there looking blank and brain-dead. "They're all missing and, save for you guys, we haven't seen anyone else." Edd looked over to Ed, who weakly returned his gaze and shrugged.

"I'm... I'm really sorry, Nazz, but neither Ed nor I have any clue what could've happened to the others," Edd answered. "Is that all you wanted?"

"Uh... well yeah, dude, thanks for your help I guess," Nazz answered, now noticing how short Edd was being with her. With that, Ed and Edd walked off and continued on their journey to an unknown destination.

"Rolf senses that the dim-witted Ed-boy and the sock-wearing Ed-boy are saddened by something. Is it just Rolf?" Rolf asked as he looked over at Nazz.

"No, it's not just you, Rolf... I wonder why they're so sad? Maybe we should go after them and find out what's wrong? I'd hate to see them walking around looking so depressed," Nazz suggested.

"Rolf too supports this idea... perhaps after that we can then seek out the others, no?" Rolf suggested.

"Sounds good. Now let's catch up to them before they get away," Nazz said before she and Rolf hopped his fence and ran after Ed and Edd, who hadn't gotten very far away. "Hey guys, hold on!" Nazz called after them, causing them to stop and turn around.

"Is there something else you and Rolf needed?" Edd asked as Rolf and Nazz skidded to a halt in front of them.

"Actually, we just wanted to know what was wrong with you two, and if there was anything we could do to help," Nazz explained. Edd looked up at Ed, who stared back at him. Edd turned back to Nazz.

"Listen, Ed and I appreciate your concern, but I'd rather not trouble you or Rolf with our problems. I'm sorry if I seem like I'm being rude or perfidious, but I'd rather Ed and I try to sort out everything on our own. Now, if you will excuse us, we just want to be left alone for a while," Edd disclosed before he and Ed once again turned away and began to walk off.

"Rolf finds the smart Ed-boy's behavior to be very unlike that of his normal, know-it-all self," Rolf commented as the two Eds moved out of ear shot.

"Yeah, Double D is acting really weird, and so is Ed. Double D is usually really kind, and Ed is usually really goofy and loud... but they seemed really out of it. Whatever is up with them, it must be something pretty serious," Nazz answered as she turned to Rolf.

"If the Ed-boys refuse to allow us to help them sort through their troubles, then we should not press on any further. Rolf's Nana always told him not to stick his nose into the business of others if his nose is not wanted," Rolf explained to a confused Nazz. "Rolf thinks we should move on to finding the others," Rolf suggested as Nazz nodded slowly. Nazz didn't feel right abandoning Ed and Edd like that; after all, Nazz had always been about helping those in need, and she normally couldn't bring herself to leave someone hanging without help. She shrugged and sighed.

"Fine, I guess if Ed and Double D would rather deal with their problems without our help, that's cool. I mean, we can't force them to take assistance. Anyway, let's just find Kevin and the others," Nazz advised before she and Rolf set out to locate the other missing kids.

* * *

Jimmy sat alone on the swings at the playground, his legs hanging loosely as the swing he sat on slowly shifted back and forth. Jimmy felt lost. He had no idea what to do without his best friend. Sure, he had done things by himself before, but he had lost the will to do anything now that he and Sarah had been separated. Getting back at Edd for stealing Sarah's heart would certainly be pleasurable, but he knew that it do nothing to mend the broken relationship between he and Sarah. He knew he had to do something to fix everything, but he had no idea what. Jimmy suddenly heard footsteps approaching, and he looked up to see who was coming toward him. He was mildly surprised to see Sarah slowly making her way toward him, a slightly reluctant look on her face. "Hey, Jimmy," she said quietly before sitting on a swing beside him.

"Hey," Jimmy answered before shifting his gaze to the ground. Jimmy hadn't expected Sarah to come and see him, and the situation was already looking very awkward, even more so than when he tried to make him move. He really didn't know what to say to her now, just like before.

"Jimmy... I..." Sarah started, although it was clear that she too had no idea what to say. "I don't want us to not be friends anymore, just because of... well... whatever happened at your house," Sarah said. Jimmy straightened himself up a little before slowly bringing his face up to face hers.

"I know... I want us to be friends again too. It's just that..." Jimmy trailed off before looking off in the distance at nothing. "It's just that it's never going to be the same. We can pretend to play together, to play games, to have fun, and to be friends, but we'll both know that we're only fooling ourselves..." Jimmy answered. Sarah didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to say because Jimmy was right. No matter how hard the two of them would try to be friends again, she would always know what Jimmy really thought about her. "Or... maybe I'm the only fool here..." Jimmy lamented as his gaze returned to the ground. Sarah couldn't take it. She hated seeing Jimmy like this. But she knew she couldn't do anything about it. Jimmy liked her, and now she knew that. But she didn't like him back, and now he knew that. She could tell him that she liked him, but she'd be lying. She did like him as a friend. He was her best friend. But as a boyfriend? No. She didn't feel any sort of love or affection of that kind for him.

"I wish... I wish we could go back and time and erase it, Jimmy... I wish we could have just kept everything the way it was..." Sarah said sadly. She longed for the way things were, and she knew Jimmy did too. But the past was the past, and there was no erasing it.

"I'm sorry, Sarah... it's my fault... I don't know why... I don't know why I have those feelings. I tried to pretend that I don't, but I just couldn't take the pretending anymore..." Jimmy answered, his gaze still focused on the ground. He couldn't bring himself to look Sarah in the face anymore. He felt weird, ashamed, and awkward sharing these words with her. But he also felt like he was lying. He knew it wasn't his fault. It couldn't be. It was Edd's. If it wasn't for him, Sarah and him would be sitting her holding hands and swinging on the swings instead of having a sad, depressing talk about their friendship.

"Jimmy... I don't want you to blame it on yourself... look, we can-" Sarah stopped mid-sentence when she spotted the Kankers walking along the sidewalk on the other side of the fence that surrounded the playground. Jimmy looked over at Sarah, wondering why she stopped before she could finish what she was saying. "Jimmy, it's the Kankers," Sarah said as she poked him in the arm, causing him to look where she was looking; he too spotted them, and he and Sarah quickly got off of the swings and prepared themselves for whatever news the Kankers were bringing. The Kankers had a triumphant aura about them, so Jimmy knew they must've found something. "So, what did you guys find out?" Jimmy asked before Marie stepped forward and brought a notebook into view.

"Well, we couldn't find the Eds, but I did find this notebook in Double D's room," Marie told Jimmy as she showed them the cover of it, which read 'My Solutions'.

"A notebook? Well what's in it?" Sarah asked, curious.

"Keep your pants on, I was getting to that," Marie answered before opening up the notebook and clearing her throat. "She is short-tempered, very easily agitated, and loves to bring harm and suffering to her brother as well as us. Her motives may seem unknown, but I believe it's because she doesn't know how express affection for her brother in a conventional manner. She finds it easier to abuse her brother rather than admit that she does care about him, leading him to believe that she really does hate him," Marie read in a monotone voice.

"What does all that crap mean? What, is it a book report he wrote or something?" Sarah asked, not really getting what Marie had read.

"Yeah, if there's a book called 'Sarah' that he read," Marie retorted before turning the notebook around pointing to the header, which read 'Sarah'. Sarah's eyes almost popped out of her head.

"Let me see that!" Sarah yelled before snatching the book away from Marie and reading what Edd had written about her. "I can't believe this... why would Double D write all this mean stuff about me?" Sarah asked as she looked up at the Kankers, who couldn't help but grin evilly at Sarah's disdain. Jimmy actually felt like grinning too; if he was right about Sarah still liking Edd, then it would seem that her love for him was going down the tubes with this newest revelation.

"Turn the page, Einstein, and you'll find out," Marie said as she grabbed hold of the page she was on and flipped it, revealing a page that had tick marks and numbers. Sarah slowly went down the list, and realization began to wash over her as to what this was all about.

"Wait... so the Eds were trying to get me to like them or something? To be... friends with them?" Sarah asked as she looked at Marie.

"Well, it's not all about you," Marie answered before taking the book from Sarah and flipping through a few more pages. "There's stuff in here about that stupid jock and us too," Marie said as she showed her two more sections that were titled 'Kevin' and 'The Kanker Sisters'.

"Damn..." Sarah cursed as she shook her head in disbelief. "This is way bigger than anything that me and Kevin thought those good-for-nothings were up to... do they really think that any of us want to be friends with them?" Sarah asked, causing Jimmy to look at her in fear. Jimmy knew how much the Kankers liked the Eds and he was afraid that Sarah would set them off.

"Not that we hate the Eds or anything like that," Jimmy said, trying to repair the damage that Sarah had done.

"Look, squirt, we don't give a shit whether you hate the Eds or want to marry their asses, cause we don't really care for them either," Lee interjected as she stepped forward. Jimmy was confused; after all, the Kankers made a habit of chasing after the Eds and giving them tons of unwanted kisses, so Jimmy found it very odd that the Kankers didn't like the Eds either. He decided to drop the subject, however.

"In that case, what do we do?" Jimmy asked, not really knowing what to do next.

"I'll tell you what we're gonna do, we're gonna-" Sarah was cut off by Lee, who stepped forward.

"I don't think so, runt; we're taking charge of this operation now and we're calling the shots," Lee declared, causing Sarah to look up at her in disbelief.

"What? But this whole thing was me and Kevin's idea!" Sarah complained, balling up her fists.

"Do I look like I care?" Lee shot back as she lifted up her fist threateningly, but Sarah didn't look like she was going to back down.

"I don't care if you care, cause I care!" Sarah yelled as her face began to turn red. "We just needed your help for this one little part, and you three think that gives you the right to take over!" Sarah screamed as Lee began to become angry herself.

"I think that's a challenge, guys!" May said as she and Marie stepped menacingly toward Sarah, who still didn't back down.

"Yeah, I think you're right, May," Marie added. "I say we show this brat just who's in charge!" Sarah now started to realize the situation she had gotten herself into; she and her hotheaded self had gotten all three Kankers riled up and ready to kick her ass, and she had no where to run. Lucky for her, Jimmy was once again there to break it up.

"Please don't, Sarah doesn't know what she's saying!" Jimmy pleaded as he stepped in between Sarah and the Kankers. "Look, we don't care who's in charge, as long as we can get revenge on the Eds!" Jimmy explained to the three angry girls. "Isn't that right, Sarah?" Jimmy asked. She could see the fear in his eyes.

"Yeah... yeah, I guess you got a point..." Sarah answered, lowering her fists and finally backing off. The Kankers too calmed down, and went back to their usual happy yet evil demeanor.

"That's more like it. Besides, with us in charge, we can guarantee that revenge will be sweet for all of us," Marie assured Sarah and Jimmy as she looked over at Lee and May, who returned her smile. Jimmy could tell that whatever the Kankers had in store for the Eds, it was probably far worse than anything Jimmy or Sarah could cook up.

"Alright, now that you two know what's what, go and tell that jock and the weird kid the situation, and tell them to meet us at our place tomorrow afternoon so we can tell you guys what our next move is," Lee explained as Jimmy and Sarah nodded. "Alright, well we're out. See you brats tomorrow," Lee said before she, May, and Marie headed out back the way they came.

"You know Kevin's not gonna like the Kankers being in charge now, right?" Jimmy lamented as Sarah turned to him.

"Yeah, but he's just gonna have to get over himself and deal with it. Cause personally, I don't care who's in charge, as long as we put the Eds in their place. If all we are to them are 'problems' that need 'solutions', then I don't see how they can think that we would ever be friends with them. Now come on, we gotta go find Kevin and Jonny and tell them all about Double D and his stupid notebook," Sarah explained as Jimmy nodded in agreement. The two of them set off to find Kevin and Jonny, leaving the playground empty, save for a few birds that were perched atop the swing set.

* * *

"Well, they're not here..." Nazz lamented as she and Rolf looked around the lane for any sign of the others. Sometimes the kids would hang out in the lane and talk, so Nazz suggested that the first place they look would be the lane.

"Rolf thinks that we should continue our hunt elsewhere... perhaps they are having fun and merriment in their water garments at the swimming hole," Rolf suggested as Nazz and him continued to walk down the lane.

"Maybe... but I just can't picture Kevin going down to the creek with Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny and not asking us if we wanted to come," Nazz answered before she and Rolf stopped dead in their tracks as three figures came into view heading the opposite way down the lane. Nazz and Rolf recognized them instantly; it was the Kankers. And the fear that washed over them was instantaneous as well. "Oh no... not those three," Nazz said weakly as she and Rolf began to inch backwards. The Kankers loved to mess with everyone in the cul-de-sac, and, although Nazz usually managed to avoid getting involved with the Kankers, she wasn't always so lucky and had borne the brunt of their bullying on several occasions.

"Is Rolf cursed? Why must the Kanker-girls always be where Rolf is?" Rolf questioned no one in particular as he thought back to the incident a few days ago at his house. Nazz and Rolf had no where to go, so they knew they would have to walk past the Kankers if they wanted to get back to the cul-de-sac.

"Look, Rolf, just follow my lead and act natural. Maybe if we just walk by them and pretend not to see them, they won't bother us," Nazz planned out, hoping to avoid any conflict with the three brutes.

"Rolf will try anything to avoid the attention of those three witches," Rolf answered as he followed Nazz, who tried her best to stay as close to the fence as possible, trying to make her and Rolf as unnoticeable as possible. As the two of them walked by the Kankers, the three didn't seem to notice them; they were so caught up in some sort of private conversation they were having that they payed no mind to Rolf and Nazz. The two of them let out sighs of relief.

"That was close, dude..." Nazz commented as she and Rolf continued to walk; Nazz and Rolf didn't want to risk looking back at the Kankers, fearing that it might blow their cover.

"Yes, Rolf was sure he would have to endure yet another-"

"Where do you two think you're going?" May asked from behind them, causing Rolf and Nazz to swing around. The Kankers were grinning at them, as they usually did with their targets, and it was clear that Rolf and Nazz weren't as lucky as they thought. Nazz sighed and then tried to find the courage to speak. She couldn't.

"What's the matter? Thought we didn't see you two chumps?" Marie asked as she poked her finger toward Nazz and Rolf. "Well we could smell your cheap ass perfume from a mile away, bimbo," Marie teased as Nazz resisted the urge to say something back. Nazz had never been much for fights, which was why she tried to avoid talking to the Kankers at all.

"Look, we don't want any trouble... we're just looking for our friends," Nazz answered, trying to avoid causing any sort of conflict.

"Well isn't that nice? Tell you what, we don't really care about you anyway. So how about you run off and find your little friends," Lee said, causing Nazz to sigh with relief. She grabbed Rolf by the sleeve and tried to pull him away, but Lee spoke up again. "But... the farmer boy stays." Rolf felt his heart jump into his throat, and Nazz whirled around in disbelief.

"What?" Nazz exclaimed as she faced the Kankers, who all glared at her evilly. "No way, I'm not going to let you three put your hands on Rolf!" Nazz said as she got in front of the tall teenager, as if forming a barrier between him and the Kankers. Nazz felt really odd having to protect Rolf from the Kankers, especially since Rolf was so much taller and stronger than she was.

"What, and you're gonna stop us?" Marie asked, obviously unimpressed by Nazz's display of bravery. "Now move out of the way, slut, or we'll have to kick your ass." Nazz bit her lip. She so badly wanted to say something back. She felt anger rising up from somewhere deep inside of her, an anger she had never felt before. But she knew that, no matter how much she tried to defend Rolf, she could never stop the Kankers from physically taking him. She was no fighter like the Kankers were.

"Come on, put up your fists and fight for your man!" May added as she stepped forward. Nazz gulped and looked up at Rolf, who looked back down at her. She knew what Rolf was going to say.

"Go. Rolf can handle himself... Rolf is the son of a shepherd, and the son of shepherd would never allow someone else to fight his fights for him," Rolf told her bravely as he laid his hand on Nazz's shoulder. He was giving her permission to run. He was giving her permission to abandon him. But she couldn't. She couldn't leave Rolf alone to fend for himself, especially not when the aggressors were the Kankers. She knew what the Kankers liked doing with all of their male victims, and she couldn't stand the thought of them doing that to Rolf.

"I can't... I can't, Rolf..." Nazz whispered as she looked at the understanding boy.

"You should listen to him, airhead," Marie said as she and her sisters began to close in around them.

"I... I..." Nazz was lost as she stared up at Rolf. "I... I have a better idea," Nazz whispered before turning back to the Kankers, new determination in her eyes. "You three want to know what I think of you?" Nazz asked, causing the Kankers to stop in their tracks. "You guys throw yourselves at every man you see, and you have the nerve to call me a slut?" Nazz mocked as the Kankers looked at her in disbelief. Rolf found himself staring at Nazz as well, equally unbelieving of what he was hearing. "I think you're all a bunch of hypocrites! You three are sluttier than I'll ever be!" Nazz added as May, Marie, and Lee began to turn red with anger.

"What the fuck did you just say, bitch?" Lee screamed angrily as she and her sisters began to broil over with fury.

"I think you heard me, Lee!" Nazz answered defiantly.

"Looks like little miss whore finally found some guts! Too bad we have to tear them out!" Marie yelled as she and her sisters charged toward Nazz, who quickly shoved Rolf out of the way and started running down the lane, the Kankers hot on her heels. Rolf looked after them in disbelief. He couldn't belief the sacrifice Nazz had made to save him from the Kankers. Why she did it, he didn't know, but he did know that he was both thankful and relieved that she had done what she had did. He had a new found respect for Nazz, and he knew he would have to find some way to pay her back.

* * *

Kevin had his hands tucked in his pockets as he leaned up against the hard brick of the grocery store, waiting for Jonny to come out with the drinks he had promised to buy. Normally Kevin wouldn't be caught dead hanging out with Jonny; after all, Jonny had a reputation as the weird kid, and Kevin would rather not tarnish his 'cool status' by being seen around Jonny. But Kevin decided that scoring a free drink was worth it, and, besides, Jonny was helping him, Sarah, and Jimmy get revenge on the Eds, so he figured he owed him at least a little chill time. Jonny came back out of the grocery store, two sodas in hand, and walked over to Kevin. "Here ya go, Kevin!" Jonny said happily as he handed Kevin a drink.

"Thanks man," Kevin said as he took the cold soda from Jonny and unscrewed the top. He took a long swig of the cool liquid and then gulped it down, Jonny doing the same.

"So... what should we do while we wait for the Kankers to find out what the Eds are up to?" Jonny asked.

"I don't know... I would say we should go hang out with Rolf and Nazz, but I wouldn't want them to be around if the Kankers came and told us what they found out..." Kevin explained as Jonny nodded in understanding. "So I guess we'll just hang out around here until they come and tell us what they found."

"I guess that sounds good..." Jonny answered before taking another drink from his soda. Jonny spotted Sarah and Jimmy walking toward them with a purpose in their step. "Hey, look, it's Sarah and Jimmy!" Jonny exclaimed, causing Kevin to perk up.

"I wonder what they want..." Kevin said as Sarah and Jimmy stopped in front of them. "Hey, what's up?" Kevin asked as he looked around to make sure no one else was around.

"Something really important, actually," Jimmy started, causing Kevin and Jonny lean in closer to keep it private. "It seems that the Eds 'big plan' was to become friends with us," Jimmy explained quickly.

"Become friends? With us?" Kevin asked, confused.

"Yeah, but that's not all. Marie showed us this notebook filled with stuff that Double D wrote about you, me, her, and her sisters, and... well, some of it wasn't nice," Sarah added, causing Kevin to suck his teeth.

"That's just so typical of those dorks. But you know what? I don't even give a shit about some stupid notebook that Double D wrote in. If the dorks really wanted to be friends with us, they wouldn't try to scam us all the time and pull pranks on us," Kevin complained as the others nodded in agreement.

"Darn right! And they wouldn't ruin our friendships either!" Jonny added angrily.

"Alright, so here's the plan: we go and-" Kevin was suddenly cut off by Sarah, who felt that now was a good time to deliver the bad news.

"Wait... we can't plan anything..." Sarah interrupted, causing Kevin to look at her, a confused look on his face.

"What do you mean? Are you feeling sorry for those dorks or something?" Kevin asked, worried that Sarah might be jumping ship.

"_Hell no_. It's just that those damn Kankers told us that they're running the show now, and that we have to meet them at their trailer tomorrow so they can tell us what to do next," Sarah relayed, causing Kevin to become extremely pissed.

"Damn it, I should've known we shouldn't have trusted them..." Kevin said before stamping his foot. He suddenly looked over at Jimmy. "You know what? It's your fault Jimmy! If we hadn't of gone to the Kankers, this never would've happened!"

"What? My fault? I was trying to help us find out what the Eds were up to, and it worked!" Jimmy shot back, offended that Kevin would try to place all the blame on him.

"Yeah, fathead, it's not Jimmy's fault! How was he supposed to know this would happen?" Sarah said as she tried to defend Jimmy.

"Fine, fine... I'm sorry. I'm just pissed," Kevin complained as he crossed his arms.

"Look, it's actually not as bad as it seems," Jimmy started, trying to make Kevin feel better about their new leadership. "I mean, when you think about it, whatever the Kankers have planned for the Eds is probably ten times worse than anything we could possibly come up with, right?" Jimmy asked, causing Kevin's demeanor to change completely.

"Hey... you do have a point there, fluffy..." Kevin commented as he rubbed his chin, suddenly seeing the advantages to the Kankers being in charge. "Alright, I guess I can put up with that, but I just hope whatever they have in mind is really good."

"It better be, cause I am so ticked off at all that crap Double D wrote about me..." Sarah commented as she balled up her fists. "And to think... I actually liked that jerk at one point," Sarah added. Jimmy felt like his heart was singing at Sarah's comment. He had heard what he had always wanted to hear: a confirmation that Edd was no longer the object of her desire. He felt an indescribable joy, and he knew that it would only be compounded when Edd and his friends finally got what was coming to him.

"That's why you never trust a dork: they always disappoint you in the end," Kevin quipped. "But I guess we're done for today; we really need to get back to the cul-de-sac before the others start noticing we're gone. I guess we'll all meet each other outside of the trailer park tomorrow and then go to see the Kankers. Everyone cool with that?" Kevin asked. The others nodded in acknowledgement, and then the four of them started the journey back to the cul-de-sac.


	10. In a Time of Need

**Author's Note: **_Well, I actually follow a schedule when releasing new chapters for Forfeit, but I figured I was in a good mood today so I'll upload the tenth chapter ahead of my own schedule. You know, because I'm a radical rule breaker and all that jazz. Anyway, read and review, but, most of all, enjoy._

* * *

Trapped. That was the only word that ran through her head. She couldn't believe she had managed to outrun them for so long, but it appeared that her luck had run out. She had made a wrong turn into a side alley, and now she was staring at a big fence that she knew she had no time to try to get over. She turned around to face her attackers, who had just turned into the alley she had ran into. She backed herself up against the hard wood of the fence, feeling it press into her back as she tried to put as much distance between her and her pursuers as possible. She knew it was no use. She was about to get the beating of a lifetime, and there was no avoiding it. She stayed silent, safe for her gasps for air as she tried to recover from the chase. The three angry girls who had chased her all around the neighborhood walked slowly and methodically toward her, savoring every moment of her fear and their triumph.

"Well, well, well, looks like your prissie ass has no where left to run," a red-faced Marie taunted as she clenched her fists. The Kankers stopped about three yards from her, staring her down as she stood there against the fence.

"Any last words before we knock your teeth out?" Lee asked as cracked her knuckles. She just stared at the three, scared senseless, refusing to speak back. She knew that if she opened her mouth she would yell for help. She just couldn't control it; but she absolutely didn't want to give the Kankers the pleasure of hearing her call out for help, so she decided to keep her mouth shut and just take whatever the Kankers had to dish out.

"Looks like a cat has her tongue," May snorted as the three began to close in closer to her.

"Aw, well that's too bad. I really wanted to hear her scream..." Marie trailed off before the three of them closed in for the kill.

* * *

"... and when I finished that, I started running around acting like an airplane, and-"

"Look, Jonny, can you shut your damn mouth for just a second? I'm trying to think here," Kevin said angrily to Jonny, who quickly shut up and kept walking. Sarah and Jimmy were not too far behind them, but it appeared they wanted to have some sort of private conversation, so that left Kevin with Jonny, who hadn't stopped talking excitedly since they had left town and headed back home.

"I was just trying to make conversation..." Jonny muttered before kicking a can down the sidewalk.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Just remember in the future not to," Kevin remarked snidely.

"HELP!" someone screamed from somewhere ahead of the group, causing the four of them to freeze in place.

"What the hell was that?" Sarah said as she and Jimmy joined Kevin and Jonny, whatever conversation they were having taking a backseat to the call for help.

"I don't know...," Kevin whispered as the four of them stood silent.

"PLEASE! SOMEBODY!"

"Oh my God... come on, we have to help them!" Jimmy pleaded, feeling like all this standing around would lead to more hurt for whoever was in trouble.

"Alright, alright, just follow me!" Kevin ordered before running down the sidewalk, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny quickly matching his pace as they headed for where the calls were coming from. Fence posts, street lights, and litter flew by as the four of them raced down the sidewalk. "I think it came from in this alley," Kevin commented as the four of them stopped at the entrance to the alley. "Woah..." Kevin whispered as the four of them stared in shock down the alley. May, Marie, and Lee were all gathered around someone who was backed up against a fence. Kevin saw Lee's hand gripped tightly around the collar of the person's shirt.

"Come on, bitch, scream some more for us!" Lee seethed as she tightened her grip on the person's collar. Kevin's eyes widened when he realized who it was.

"Nazz!" Kevin called out without realizing it, causing the Kankers to whirl around and face them; Lee's death grip on Nazz's collar remained, however.

"What the-" Lee muttered before spotting the four of them and realizing who they were. Nazz felt her chest tighten when she saw who had answered her calls for help.

"Run guys! Get out of here!" Nazz called out to Kevin and the others, who simply stood their ground. She suddenly realized that nothing was happening; the Kankers and the others were simply staring at each other without saying a word. She didn't understand what was going on. Normally the Kankers would either threaten or pummel someone if they tried to interfere with their beatings, but it seemed this time was different, for some odd reason. Lee suddenly turned back to Nazz and looked her dead in the eyes.

"Fuck it. We've got better things to do anyway," Lee muttered condescendingly to Nazz before letting go of Nazz and motioning for her and her sisters to leave. The three of them walked quickly down the alley way and pushed through Kevin and the others before walking off. Nazz, although still confused, was absolutely relieved for the odd rescue that the four of them had pulled off. Kevin, Sarah, Jonny, and Jimmy quickly rushed down the alley and gathered around Nazz, who was gripping her chest tightly as she breathed heavily.

"Nazz... they didn't hurt you, did they?" Kevin asked quickly, obviously concerned. Nazz turned her head slowly to face Kevin, still in disbelief over the current situation. She was sure she was imagining this; this had to be some sort of hallucination. Why had the Kankers run off like that at the sight of Kevin and the others? It couldn't be that they were scared of them, could it?

"N... No," Nazz managed to choke out.

"She doesn't sound so good..." Jonny commented.

"She's probably just still scared. Give her a minute, Jonny," Kevin recommended before turning back to Nazz, concern still obvious in his face.

"No... no, I'm fine... it's alright. It's over now..." Nazz finally let out before releasing the death grip she had on her chest and settling down.

"Good... I guess it's a good thing we were around huh?" Kevin remarked, hoping to lighten up the situation a little.

"Yeah, definitely," Nazz answered, still a little put off by the whole thing. "I just... well... what was that all about?"

"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked.

"Well... why did they run off like that when you four showed up?" Nazz asked, much to the group's dismay. None of them knew how to answer the question in a way that Nazz would believe; after all, what reason _did_ the Kankers have for leaving Nazz alone other than the truth? And none of them wanted to let Nazz in on their dirty dealings, knowing that she'd absolutely disapprove, so there was a slight, unnerving silence before someone finally spoke up.

"Look... just... just forget about it, alright? Let's just get back to the cul-de-sac where it's safe," Kevin suggested as the others nodded in agreement. Nazz looked at all four of them, still unsure of everything, but she too nodded as Kevin grabbed her lightly by the shoulder and guided her back out of the alley and toward the cul-de-sac. None of it felt real. She felt like any minute now she would suddenly wake up and still be in the alley with the Kankers, screaming for help as they played their mind games. She didn't understand. She wished she did. But she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. After all, she was safe, and that was all that mattered, right?

* * *

Edd's heart felt like it was trying to ram it's way out of his ribcage as he stared down at the empty spot where his notebook used to be. He just couldn't take his eyes off of that spot; where there should be the cover of a notebook looking back at him, the wooden surface of his desk matched his gaze instead. The first thought that entered Edd's mind was theft. Someone had stolen it. Someone had broken into his house, entered his room, taken the notebook, and left. And it was no normal thief. Whoever it was had been looking for something specific; after all, Edd had checked everything in his room and then his house to make sure nothing was missing, and he found that the only missing item was his notebook. But it wasn't just any ordinary notebook. He had stacks of notebooks with plenty of notes in them. No, this particular notebook had the worst kind of notes in it. Notes that, if seen by someone other than Ed, Eddy, or himself, could put the three of them in great danger.

"This can't be happening..." Edd whispered as he laid his hand where the notebook used to rest. He didn't know what to do. He knew that if any of the kids had taken it, then there would surely be a lynch mob waiting for them outside of their doors soon to have the heads of the Eds. He knew that if the Kankers had gotten their hands on it, then they could be seeking them out right now, waiting in his closet, Ed's bathroom, and even under Eddy's bed to ambush them and extract their revenge. The absence of his notebook had completely pushed the fact that Eddy was no longer he or Ed's friend anymore out of his mind; after all, regardless of the status of their friendship, Eddy would surely be a target for whoever had gotten his notebook. Edd prayed silently that it was just some random robber who had broken into his house and taken the notebook, even if all the evidence pointed to it being someone he knew.

"Double D?" Ed asked from behind Edd as he stared down at the desk. Edd turned around slowly to face Ed, who was still obviously sad about Eddy, but still very concerned about Edd's sudden silence.

"Ed... we are in so much trouble," Edd moaned as he turned back to the desk and looked down at where the notebook should be, hoping it would magically appear.

"Is it Sarah?" Ed asked as panic began brewing inside of him.

"No... no... it's so much worse than just Sarah..." Edd commented before walking over to Ed. "Listen... stay here. I'm going to go search around my house a second time... if I come back empty handed, then I'll try my best to explain to you why we should start hiding. Got it?" Edd explained.

"Okay," Ed responded. Edd then rushed out of the room, obviously in a hurry to find something, although Ed was unsure of what. Ed sat down on Edd's bed, hoping that Edd would return soon and tell him why they had to hide. He hoped it was because they were going to play hide n' seek; after all, Ed could use any sort of fun possible to get his mind off of Eddy. He still couldn't believe that Eddy had said that he wasn't their friend anymore to Edd. It just didn't seem possible. Ed felt like going down to Eddy's, busting into his house, and messing with him like he always did. It was funny to see Eddy get mad and tell him to get out; but now, Ed knew he couldn't do that. He couldn't go down to Eddy's house, and he certainly couldn't mess with him like he used to.

"It has to be around here somewhere..." Edd commented to himself as he searched through his kitchen, hoping that he might've accidentally placed the notebook there. He knew he had left on his desk, there was no questioning that. Still, a part of him still believed that if he searched hard enough, it would be there, simply misplaced. He hoped so hard that that part of him was right. After all, his life and the lives of his friends would be over if that part of him was wrong; although the other part of him simply argued "What lives?", but he quickly silenced that side as he opened up shelves and cabinets, desperate to find the notebook. "Drat," Edd cursed as he realized that the notebook was most certainly not in the kitchen.

Edd, not resigning to defeat just yet, headed into his living room to continue his search. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed one of the windows were open. "That's odd... I don't remember that being open when I passed through here to get to the kitchen..." Edd said before making his way to the window and shutting it. "Perhaps it was Ed... yes, that's it..." Edd rationalized before heading over to his couch and kneeling down to look under it. "Darn, not under here either... perhaps..." Edd muttered quietly to himself before standing up and looking over at a coffee table that was in front of the couch. His eyes went wide when he spotted the notebook laying on the table, it's cover still shut. Edd quickly snatched it up and held it up to his face to make sure it was real. He flipped through the pages quickly, and, upon spotting all the same notes and sections, sighed in relief. He was so relieved that the other part of him was correct. He had misplaced it. Either that, or Ed had moved it, but he decided that was just fine; as long as the notebook was still in safe hands, that was all that mattered.

"Double D, are you still here?" Ed called out as he walked down Edd's stairs.

"Yes, Ed, I'm in my living room," Edd called back as he continued to stare at the notebook, absolutely relieved. Ed came into the living room, a little smile on his face.

"Are you and the notebook in love, Double D?" Ed asked as he stared at Edd, who was staring at the notebook.

"Uh... no, not at all, Ed. I'm just happy because I misplaced this notebook and I thought I'd never find it," Edd answered as he sat on the couch, wanting to take a load off of himself.

"Okay, well are we still playing Hide n' Seek?" Ed asked as he walked over to Edd and joined him on the couch.

"Well... no, Ed, but I don't recall ever mentioning playing Hide n' Seek in the first place," Edd answered before laying the notebook back on the coffee table. He sighed. Although he was relieved to find the notebook, finding it had only succeeded in letting back in thoughts of Eddy. He could try to go and talk to Eddy, but Eddy's threat of punching his and Ed's lights out if they got anywhere near him was still fresh in his mind, as was the rest of the phone conversation from earlier. He decided he would have to disregard Eddy's warning; after all, whatever was wrong with Eddy was obviously serious; Eddy, without warning, had broken off their friendship over seemingly nothing. It was clear that he was hiding something, but Edd was unsure exactly what that something was.

"Double D... I miss Eddy," Ed stated as he looked over Edd. Edd returned Ed's look.

"I know. I do too, Ed, and we just saw him earlier today. I suppose it just goes to show that that old saying about not knowing what one has until it's gone is quite apt in describing situations such as these," Edd commented as Ed looked at him, obviously lost.

"Okay, but can we go see Eddy?" Ed asked, completely ignoring Edd's statement.

"I wish we could, Ed, but Eddy said he would hurt us if we came near him," Edd responded, being a little more forward than he usually was; after all, it was Ed he was dealing with, and he realized that throwing around big words all the time was probably quite confusing for the loveable oaf.

"But Eddy's our friend, he wouldn't hurt us for nothing... would he?" Ed asked with a little more clarity than his usual self.

"I'm not sure... but perhaps we should go see Eddy. After all, a good talking might lead us to the truth, and I think risking a beating from Eddy is worth trying to find out what's wrong with him," Edd answered, much to Ed's delight. He just hoped he was right about that; it was obvious that this was no normal problem Eddy was having, and Edd had a feeling it would probably be an uphill battle to uncover the truth. Even with that in mind, he quickly stood up and led Ed to his front door, knowing that it would probably be an uphill battle to uncover the truth about Eddy.

* * *

Nazz and Kevin sat out on Kevin's front porch, side by side and silent. Jonny, Jimmy, and Sarah had went their separate ways when they reached the cul-de-sac, leaving Kevin to talk to Nazz, who was still a little shaken by the earlier incident. Kevin still didn't know what had happened that had led to the Kankers attacking Nazz in the alley way, but she had been relatively quiet the whole walk back, so he still didn't learn what led up to the attack. He decided it'd be better if he just dropped it and talked about other stuff; he wanted her to forget about the incident, not have to think about it even more. "Kevin," Nazz said, causing Kevin to snap back to reality.

"Yeah?" Kevin asked, happy that Nazz had finally said something to break the ice.

"I was wondering... where were you guys earlier?" Nazz asked as she stared at Kevin, who seemed to ponder the question for a moment.

"Oh yeah... well we were just hanging out in town," Kevin answered. "Why, were you looking for us?"

"I was... well, we were. Rolf and I were looking around for you guys when we bumped into..." Nazz trailed off as Kevin nodded.

"Yeah, I know. No need to bring that up again," Kevin assured her as he laid his arm across her shoulders. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Of course. I'm not gonna let those three get to me like that... I just wish sometimes that those three would chill out. I mean, what's their problem?" Nazz asked.

"Who knows... look, I really don't want to talk about them though. I just want to forget about all of our troubles and chill," Kevin related as he tried to pull the conversation away from the Kankers. He was royally pissed that they had chosen Nazz as a suitable target for their wrath, but he knew that talking about them might risk Nazz digging deeper into the situation and risking the plans of the entire group. "How about we go find Rolf and hang out?" Nazz's mood brightened up significantly, and she smiled.

"Yeah, that sounds good... it will definitely help me get my mind off of things. Let's go," Nazz answered as the two of them stood up and made their way to Rolf's house.

* * *

Eddy sat alone in his living room as he flicked through channels, his finger tiring from his constant search for something to watch. Eddy was bored out of his mind. He felt like he was running out of things to do. He had listened to his record player, read magazines, made food, and now he was watching television for lack of something better to do. He had racked his brain trying to think of something entertaining to do, but his self-imposed isolation had led him to realize that most of his day was usually spent with Ed and Edd, and removing them from his life left him with very little to do. He thought about going outside, but he was afraid he'd bump into either Ed and Edd, who would probably be angry with him or demand an explanation, or, even worse, the Kankers, and he absolutely did not want to cross paths with them again. So he resigned himself to finding solace in the television, an imaginary world where everything is just perfect and peachy keen. He wished his life was some kind of sitcom where everything was funny and normal, but he knew better. His life was taking a downward spiral and it seemed there was no way to regain control.

The sound of knocking at his door caused him to snap back to reality. He turned off the television and set the remote down on the seat beside him. He got up from the couch and went over to his front door, curious of who it could be. But he knew who it was. Who else would possibly want to visit him? Eddy stood at the door, debating whether or not to open it. He knew who it was, and he knew he wasn't ready to face them. He sighed, trying to gather up some sort of hidden anger inside of him. He had to be convincing. "Didn't I tell you two to stay the hell away from me?" Eddy yelled through the door. A few moments passed by before a response came.

"Eddy, we just want to talk to you!" Edd's voice called out from the other side of his front door. Edd and Ed waited patiently for Eddy to respond, but no such answer came. "Please, we want to know why you-"

"Do I have to come out there and wail on your asses? Beat it!" Eddy cut off Edd, angry that his first threat didn't work.

"It's not fun being two, we want to be three!" Ed answered, determined that he and Edd would have an audience with Eddy.

"I said to scram!" Eddy yelled through the door. Edd began to think of a way to convince Eddy to let them in while Ed began to scratch at the door like a sad puppy trying to get in from the rain.

"Let us in, and I'll give you buttered toast!" Ed offered to an uncaring Eddy.

"Holy shit, don't you two get it, it's over!" Eddy called through the door. Edd suddenly thought of way to get into Eddy's house, although it was a bit underhanded.

"Ed," Edd whispered, trying to talk low enough so that Eddy couldn't hear them through the door. Ed stood up and Edd began to whisper something in his ear. Eddy couldn't hear Ed or Edd anymore, so he sighed with relief.

"Finally, those two got the message..." Eddy muttered to himself. A part of him wanted to let them in, but he knew that his and their suffering was necessary to protect them from a threat that Ed and Edd didn't even knew existed.

"Aliens?" Eddy heard Ed yell from the other side of the door.

"What the hell?" Eddy yelled before his door was kicked down by a panicking Ed.

"Don't worry, I'll save you Eddy!" Ed proclaimed bravely before tackling Eddy to the ground.

"Get off of me ya-" Eddy was interrupted when Ed began to punch his chest.

"Get out of him, you alien scum!" Ed yelled as he pounded on Eddy's chest.

"That's enough, Ed!" Edd said as he ran over and stopped Ed from harming Eddy further.

"But what if it's still inside of him, crawling around and sucking out his fluids?" Ed asked as he looked down at a moaning Eddy in concern.

"Don't worry, Ed, I'm sure that-"

"Come here you piece of shit!" Eddy yelled before leaping at Ed and pinning him to the ground. "I think I saw an alien crawl into your throat, let me get it for you!" Eddy declared before he wrapped his hands around Ed's throat and began strangling him.

"Eddy, that's enough!" Edd said before trying to pry Eddy off of him. Eddy smacked Edd away and stood up.

"Enough? You're the one who told him I had an 'alien' inside of him, braniac! Give me a second and there will be a fist a foot deep down your throat!" Eddy threatened before raising his fist. Ed stood up and joined Edd at his side.

"So... is Eddy's hand an alien?" Ed asked, confused.

"No, Ed... but appears Eddy's acting quite alien toward us..." Edd whispered back, which only served to confuse Ed further.

"Alright, enough fooling around. Getting the hell out of my house!" Eddy commanded as he pointed at the door frame where his front door used to be.

"Please, Eddy, if you'll just let us speak to you for a momen-"

"I said out, out, out!" Eddy demanded as he began to shove Ed and Edd out of his house. Eddy shoved them out onto his front porch and then began to lift his front door, although it appeared he was having trouble.

"Don't worry, Eddy, I will help you kick us out!" Ed said before grabbing the end of the door, picking it up, and putting it back into place. "All better!" Ed called out to Eddy, who was on the inside of the house.

"Yeah, yeah, just don't let me catch you two around here again, or I'll call the cops!" Eddy warned before retreating back to his couch.

"Well, Ed, it appears Eddy's unwilling to even talk to us... whatever is troubling him, it must be serious," Edd wondered aloud as he scratched his chin in thought.

"I want my Eddy back, Double D..." Ed whined as Edd nodded in agreement.

"I assure you, I do too, but it seems that getting Eddy to open up to us is going to be far more difficult than even I imagined... we may need backup, Ed," Edd explained as Ed listened intently.

"But who will help us? The aliens are all around us, waiting to harvest our organs for their dairy farms!" Ed lamented. Edd realized that Ed, in a twisted way, was right; after all, who would they go to help them? Most of the people in the cul-de-sac were repulsed at the idea of even being around the Eds, and he knew that the thought of helping Ed and Edd definitely wasn't on their to do list. He knew four people who could possibly help Ed and Edd find out what was wrong with Eddy: Jonny, Jimmy, Nazz, and Rolf. Jonny was a good-natured, if not a tad on the strange side, guy, and he'd surely assist Ed and him in their dilemma. Jimmy, while he could certainly be a brat sometimes, had a soft spot for helping others, so he knew he could probably count on him. Nazz and Rolf had both asked Edd and Ed what was wrong with them earlier, so Edd was sure that, if Jimmy and Jonny refused to help, Nazz and Rolf would be there to help them in their time of need.

"Follow me Ed, I know where we can get help... and please stop talking about aliens, you're giving me a migraine," Edd complained before leading Ed off to find help.

* * *

"We should go to the playground and hang out! Wouldn't that be fun?" Jonny exclaimed as he ran circles around Sarah, who was sitting in a lawn chair in her backyard reading a magazine. She was beginning to get irritated at Jonny; he wouldn't leave her alone, no matter how many times she told him to go away.

"For the last time, fathead, can you just leave me alone?" Sarah yelled, causing Jonny to stop in front of her. Jonny hesitated for a moment, as if working through his head how to respond to her demand.

"But you're not even doing anything! Besides, it'll be funner if we do something together!" Jonny declared before doing a running jump over Sarah's head, who quickly ducked as Jonny went flying over her.

"That's it!" Sarah yelled before jumping out of the lawn chair and throwing the magazine down. Jonny froze in place and turned to face her, and he became scared when he saw her face beginning to turn red. He knew what was coming. "If you don't want me to squeeze your big, bloated head until it pops, you'll take your ass out of here!" Sarah screamed.

"Oh come on, I just want someone to hang out with!" Jonny pleaded to Sarah, who obviously didn't care. "I mean... Eddy made Plank run away, so now you're the only friend I got!" Jonny cried as he tried to plead his case. Sarah began to calm down a little.

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard your sob story a million times," Sarah resigned before flopping down in her lawn chair. "Look, if you want to hang out, you can start by making me a glass of lemonade and a sandwich" Sarah commanded as she looked over at Jonny.

"Hey, hanging out with you is just like hanging out with Plank!" Jonny commented before rushing off to complete her demand. Sarah shrugged before grabbing her magazine and resuming where she left off. She figured that she might as well take advantage of the situation if she was stuck with Jonny, and it appeared that she was quite successful in her effort. Sarah looked over and saw that Jonny was struggling to get into her house.

"I don't know why, but the door's stuck!" Jonny complained as he tried to open the door. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"It's locked, stupid, go through the front!" Sarah answered, causing Jonny to stop, rub the back of his head awkwardly, and then run around front. "God, he's as bad as my brother... well, maybe not _that_ bad," Sarah muttered before going back to her magazine.

Jonny quickly made his way to the front door of Sarah's house, and was about to open it when he spotted two familiar faces walking toward him: it was Ed and Edd. Jonny's eyes widened. He knew that whatever conversation was about to take place, it was going to be very awkward; after all, he, Sarah, Kevin, and Jimmy were running around behind their backs plotting against them, and here they were coming to him for something. "Uh... hey guys!" Jonny called out as Ed and Edd stopped in front of him.

"Hello, Jonny, I hope we're not interrupting you... well... what were you doing exactly?" Edd asked, realizing that Jonny was about to go into Ed's house.

"Oh, I was just getting something for Sarah," Jonny answered as he rubbed his foot around on Ed's porch.

"Hey, involuntarily getting stuff for Sarah is my job!" Ed proclaimed.

"Indeed... well, Jonny, I was hoping you could put whatever Sarah wanted on hold so that you could assist Ed and I with a problem we're having," Edd explained as Jonny twiddled his thumbs.

"Uh..." Jonny mumbled before looking around to make sure no one from his 'group' was watching. "Sure... I guess. What's the problem?" Jonny asked, feeling a little better now that he knew no one else was watching him talk to Ed and Edd.

"Well, it seems that Eddy has cooped himself up in his house and refuses to come out... we could really use your help getting him to open up to Ed and I about what was bothering him," Edd answered. Jonny gulped. He knew if he helped Edd and Ed out, he'd be aiding and abetting the enemy. Not only that, but it appeared that whatever was wrong with Eddy, it was driving a rift between him and his friends, Ed and Edd. Jonny wanted to smile, but he hid since Ed and Edd were watching him. This is exactly what Eddy deserved for making Plank hate him; Eddy deserved the same fate, to have Ed and Edd hate him and leave him cold and alone. Even with this in mind, Jonny still couldn't bear himself to let loose Eddy's little secret, so he settled for the next best thing.

"Well I'm... I'm really sorry to hear that, but I can't really help right now. I'm busy getting Sarah's food and drink, and you know she'll probably hurt me really badly if I don't hurry up, so I guess you should try someone else," Jonny said long-windily before running into Ed's front door and shutting it behind him, leaving Ed and Edd standing outside perplexed.

"So... is Jonny trying to say he won't help us?" Ed asked as Edd sighed.

"It appears so Ed... although Jonny was certainly acting strange," Edd commented before regaining his composure. "I suppose we'll have to go elsewhere for assistance... follow me, Ed," Edd said before he and Ed set off once again to find some help.

* * *

"More tea, Mr. Yum Yum?" Jimmy asked as he set at a table he had set up in his backyard. Jimmy hadn't really messed with his stuffed animals in a while; after all, he was twelve now, and he figured he was done with silly things like that. Even so, he knew that hanging out with Sarah would be as awkward as they both imagined, so he decided that good old Mr. Yum Yum would have to do as a friend until he could figure out what to do. Jimmy waited a few moments before pouring some tea into Mr. Yum Yum's empty cup. Jimmy finished pouring the tea and then settled back into his seat so he could drink his tea. He stopped short as he stared at Mr. Yum Yum. He suddenly began to think. This was just like his friendship with Sarah had always been. Nothing was real. Everything was fake. The cups weren't real. Mr. Yum Yum wasn't real. Hell, the tea wasn't even tea, it was just tap water. Jimmy, feeling bitter and tired, set his cup back down and stood up. He was done with the fake. He wanted the real. He wanted to Sarah to be his. He wanted that to be real. But he knew that was the perhaps the most fake thought of all. Jimmy was brought back to reality when he heard the doorbell inside of his house ring.

"Who could that be?" Jimmy whispered before entering his house from the back door and making his way to the front door. "Who is it?" Jimmy asked through the door, wary of opening his house up to a stranger.

"It's-"

"Aliens!" Ed yelled before giggling madly.

"Ed, what did I tell you about talking about aliens?" Edd scolded as Ed continued to laugh quietly to himself. Jimmy recognized their voices instantly: it was Ed and Edd. He definitely did not want to see them today, especially since he and the others were pretty much plotting against them. Even worse, with thoughts of Sarah fresh in his mind, Edd had the nerve to come to him for whatever reason. Jimmy didn't know if he'd be able to talk straight to Edd, let alone look him in the eye. Jimmy sighed. He knew if he didn't see what they wanted, it would seem odd and then the Eds might be on to them, so he decided to suck it up and open the door. Jimmy grabbed the handle and slowly swung the door open to reveal Ed and Edd.

"Hello, Double D, Ed, what brings you here today?" Jimmy asked politely, much to Edd's delight. After being treated rudely so often lately, it was nice to be treated with a little respect.

"Hello, Jimmy! Ed and I actually needed to ask you a favor, if you don't mind listening for a moment while I explain," Edd answered.

"Sure, go ahead," Jimmy responded, although internally he was cursing Edd for even thinking that he would ever help he and Ed with anything.

"Eddy has cooped himself up in his house and he refuses to allow Ed or I to speak to him, so I was hoping you could help us find a way to get him to open up to us," Edd explained as Jimmy nodded. Jimmy knew he couldn't help them; for one, if there was trouble among the Eds, that was definitely a good thing for Jimmy and the others, so he knew helping them would be working against his own interests as well as those of the others. So he knew he'd have to cook up some sort of excuse to get out of helping them with their problem.

"You know I would normally help you guys but... well..." Jimmy began before looking behind him. "I'm helping my mother with dinner and I can't really come out right now," Jimmy explained as Edd nodded slowly.

"I see. Well I suppose I can't expect you to disobey your mother. Very well, thank you for your time," Edd said. With that, Jimmy shut the door, leaving Ed and Edd once again without any help.

"So... is Jimmy trying to say he won't help us?" Ed asked as Edd rubbed his chin in thought.

"I'm afraid so; it seems that once again we've been turned away. Oh well, I should've known that we'd end up going to Nazz and Rolf. Follow me, Ed," Edd ordered before setting off toward Nazz's house. Ed began to follow, but noticed something odd: Jimmy's father and mother both owned cars, yet neither of them were parked in his drive way. Ed looked back over at Edd to tell him about it, but then noticed a loose thread on the back of Edd's shirt, which made him quickly forget about the sight and instead reach out for thread as he and Edd walked to Nazz's house, which was just next door.

"Come here little guy, I won't hurt you," Ed said aloud as he pulled on the string on Edd's shirt.

"Ed, please refrain from tampering with my shirt, it's becoming rather annoying," Edd pleaded as he swatted away Ed's hand. The two of them reached Nazz's front door and, Edd gathering up the courage he needed, quickly rung Nazz's doorbell. Edd began to tap his foot as he waited for Nazz to answer the door. He suddenly heard Ed giggling lightly behind him, and he looked over at him. "What's so funny, Ed?"

"Uh... nothing," Ed answered as he collected himself.

"Ed, when Nazz comes to the door, you aren't thinking about yelling something about aliens again, are you?" Edd asked as he crossed his arms.

"Nope!" Ed responded, prompting Edd to sigh with relief.

"That's good to hear, E-"

"I was going to yell 'the mutants are coming'!" Ed interrupted, prompting Edd to slap his forehead.

"Sometimes I wish I understood you. I really do," Edd muttered as Ed laughed lightly to himself. Edd realized that no one had answered the door, and it had been well over a minute. "Well, it seems you won't have a chance to inform Nazz about the mutants, as it appears that she isn't home."

"But then... who will help us with Eddy?" Ed asked, his demeanor going from goofy to serious now that he realized that they wouldn't be getting help with Eddy.

"I'm not sure. I would say that we try Rolf's house to see if he's home, but it's getting late and my parents probably left me something to eat in the fridge, so I'm afraid we'll have to call it a day," Edd explained as Ed's mood began to dampen.

"Oh... but... will we still try to talk to Eddy again tomorrow?" Ed asked as he gave Edd a pleading look.

"Of course we will. I swear to you we won't stop our quest until we find out what's wrong with Eddy and mend our broken friendship," Edd assured Ed as he laid his hand on his shoulder, causing Ed to smile sadly.

"Okay... I guess Sarah and my mom will be mad if I don't get back home soon anyway..." Ed remembered as the two of them began to walk from Nazz's porch to the street.

"I suggest that we meet tomorrow at my residence to discuss our plan of action. Got it?" Edd asked as he looked up at the tall young man.

"Okay."

"Good... and please don't try to think about Eddy too much. You need a good night's rest for tomorrow," Edd suggested to Ed, who quickly nodded. "Good night, Ed."

"Good night, Double D." With that, the two parted ways and began the walk to their respective houses.

* * *

Eddy laid in his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He was thinking about his parents. They had asked him so many questions about why he wasn't hanging out with Ed and Edd anymore over dinner, but he just blew them off and stayed silent. When he realized they wouldn't stop bombarding him with questions, he simply left the rest of his steak and corn unfinished and went to his room, ignoring his parents' as they demanded he come back and finish his dinner. His parents were always like that; they didn't like to see things go to waste, especially not food. He knew he'd probably catch flak for it in the morning, but he didn't care. As long as he was away from them and their questions, he knew he'd be fine.

But that feeling of being fine suddenly went away when his body began to beg again. Eddy's eyes opened in disbelief at himself as he sat up in bed. He couldn't believe it. The same feeling he had several nights before when he went to visit the Kankers was back. And he honestly was taken aback. After all, he had been _raped_ by May and Marie out in the woods, and here he was again, his body begging him to go pay them a visit. He wanted to scream at himself. He wanted to beat the headboard off of his bed. He just wished the feeling would go away. He knew this wasn't natural; why would he want to go to the ones who had harmed him and his friends so much? Why would he want to have anything to do with the ones who had brought so much pain and anguish onto the Eds? He didn't know. But he did know one thing: he wasn't going to let his body get the better of him this time. So, instead of fulfilling it's wishes, he pulled his blanket around him, curled up, and laid his head down on his pillow. He didn't even bother to change out of his clothes; after all, he knew if he got up, he might not be able to resist the urge to tear out of his house and go running to the Kankers like some sort of drooling, starved hound.

So Eddy remained on his bed, curled up and comfortable. The urge slowly died away, Eddy's determination beating it. Eddy suddenly felt like he was winning. He felt like he had won some sort of battle. Despite these feelings, he knew the truth. He had lost the war, and he was a prisoner to his own desires. And those of the enemy as well.


	11. Stranger than Fiction

**Author's Note: **_I know I had a groove going on with the updating where I updated about every ten days, but that may change now that I'm starting college very soon, not to mention the fact that I was sick the past week. Anyway, here's chapter eleven, and, as usual, read and, if you have the time or have something you want to comment on, review._

* * *

Rolf stretched out and yawned as his eyes flicked open and stared at his dark ceiling. He looked over at his alarm clock, and the big hand was pointing at the twelve while the little hand was pointing at the five. His eyes widened when he realized how late he had awoken. Rolf sat up, now fully awake, and looked around his room. On the floor slept Kevin and Nazz; they had come over Rolf's house the day before, and, Rolf's parents being more hospitable than usual, had insisted on letting the two of them stay the night with Rolf, especially since they were leaving in the morning to visit Rolf's old country. They originally wanted to Rolf to go with them, but Rolf insisted on staying behind so that he could tend to the farm and the house. Rolf loved visiting his home country, but he decided that he ought to be there for Nazz and Kevin; he knew he had to find a way to repay Nazz for saving his skin, and he knew that spending a month in his home country wasn't the way to do it. Rolf got up and walked over to Nazz and Kevin, who were both curled up in sleeping bags on his floor. Rolf knelt and gently shook Nazz by her shoulder, waking her up. She sat up and yawned, very groggy and half-asleep.

"Hey, Rolf, is it time to get up already?" Nazz asked as she stretched her arms out above her head.

"Yes, Nazz-girl, it's very late," Rolf informed her as he pointed over at his alarm clock, which was barely visible in the darkness of Rolf's room.

"Wow, we slept until five o' clock in the afternoon? That's crazy..." Nazz commented as she pulled herself out of her sleeping bag. Rolf chuckled at Nazz, as if she had told a joke. "What's so funny?" Nazz asked.

"You must be poking Rolf's ribs, she-who-cannot-tell-time! It is five in the morning!" Rolf informed her, causing her to freeze.

"Five in the morning? Rolf, that's super early, not super late!" Nazz exclaimed before rubbing her weary eyes.

"Not for Rolf; he has much work to do in the fields, and must wake up at four in order to complete it," Rolf explained to a shocked Nazz.

"Wow, I'm sorry about that dude," Nazz replied before rolling up her sleeping bag. She really wanted to go back to sleep, but she figured she was already awake so she might as well start her day.

"Sorry about what?" Rolf asked, clearly confused.

"Uh...never mind. Let's just get Kevin up," Nazz responded, deciding to drop the conversation. Rolf and Nazz walked over to Kevin's sleeping bag and Rolf knelt down beside him and gently shook him, causing him to slowly stir and wake up.

"My head..." Kevin moaned as he rubbed it and looked around the room, his vision coming into focus. He spotted Nazz and Rolf looking down at him. "Crap, don't tell me I slept in," Kevin said as he sat up.

"It's five. Five in the morning," Nazz deadpanned as Kevin donned a confused look.

"What? Well why are we up so early?" Kevin asked as he looked over at Rolf, who seemed amused. "And why does Rolf look so damn happy?"

"Rolf is amused by the ways of the West. In Rolf's home country, one would never wake up as late as you two do unless he wanted to be hit with the rod of indolence," Rolf explained, although it was clear that Kevin and Nazz were stuck on trying to figure out what indolence meant.

"Right. Well, I guess I might as well get off of my ass now that I'm awake," Kevin muttered before climbing to his feet and rolling up his sleeping bag.

"Now that you two lazy-good-for-nothings are awake, Rolf shall prepare a morning feast for us!" Rolf proclaimed before strutting out of his room and into the hallway. Nazz and Kevin stared after Rolf as he walked away.

"All the years I've known the guy, and he still manages to surprise me," Kevin said to himself as he and Nazz turned to each other. "I guess he'll always be weird."

"Hey, I think it's kind of cute," Nazz replied before giggling.

"Yeah, I guess it's kind of funny," Kevin answered before rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway... after Rolf makes us breakfast, I gotta head home. My parents will probably be back any minute. They went to visit my grandparents yesterday, and that's the only reason I was able to stay over Rolf's today," Kevin explained.

"Oh yeah... I forgot that you were grounded... but don't your parents have to work?" Nazz asked as she and Kevin began to walk out of Rolf's room.

"Yeah, but they both took today off to go see them. Lucky for me, they both left yesterday after work, so they didn't notice that I wasn't home. Today though... well, I don't want to find out what will happen if they come home and see that I'm not there," Kevin explained as Nazz nodded. Kevin and Nazz walked into Rolf's kitchen to find him preparing something over by the counter.

"Hey, Rolf, need some help?" Nazz asked before walking over to Rolf. Kevin took a seat at Rolf's table, which was made of some type of old wood; it looked home made.

"Of course, Rolf always welcomes assistance in the preparation of the eight tentacled beast," Rolf answered as he produced what looked like some sort of octopus from a cupboard and handed it to Nazz.

"Ew..." Nazz said as he held the octopus in her hands, not exactly knowing what Rolf wanted to her to do with it. Kevin chuckled lightly to himself as he watched Nazz eyeball the octopus, but then his thoughts wandered to his true purpose for leaving early: the Kankers. He knew that he had to meet the others in his group at the Kankers' trailer, so he had to have an excuse to leave early. That's where his parents came in. Kevin's parents did take the day off to see his grandparents, but they were going to be there all day and wouldn't be back in Peach Creek until tomorrow. They had left a message on the phone that Kevin had heard when he went to his house to get a sleeping bag that told him that he could move about the house in case he needed something to eat, but that he couldn't leave or they'd ask one of the other parents if they had seen Kevin walking around the neighborhood. Since Rolf's parents had obviously seen him, Kevin did worry that they might tell his parents if they asked, but he figured that, since he had difficulty communicating with Rolf's parents himself, they probably wouldn't even understand what Kevin's parents were talking about.

With that problem out of the way, Kevin then moved on to the next problem in his head: the Kankers themselves. He did hate the Eds with a passion, he couldn't lie about that. They had brought so much pain and agony onto him and his friends with their scams and pranks, and this would be the revenge he was waiting for. With the incident from yesterday with the Kankers and Nazz, however, he started to realize that the Kankers were even more of a menace than the Eds were. Even then, he knew that the Kankers would be far harder to do anything about than the Eds; after all, the Kankers were the best fighters around, and they seemed to be able to outsmart him and the others on many occasions. So Kevin decided right then and there that there was nothing he could do about them at this point. They were cooperating with him now, yes, and, hell, they even let Nazz go scotch free when they spotted him, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny. He knew that their cooperation could change in a heartbeat, knowing how twisted and fickle the Kankers could be, but he knew that punishing the Eds was worth suffering through dealings with the Kankers. He was sure of it.

* * *

Marie and May sat on their couch as they watched television, munching on a bowl of popcorn as they did so. Normally they would go out and do something that was more "fun", but Mom had told Lee that May and Marie needed to watch the place while they were gone, so they were forced to stay in the trailer and do absolutely nothing. Marie, the popcorn bowl in her lap, reached for another handful of popcorn to stuff in her mouth, but was surprised when her hand hit the bottom of the bowl. She looked down and saw that there was no more popcorn. She looked over at May angrily, and saw her munching on a fistful of popcorn. "Damn it, May, you're a fat hog!" Marie insulted.

"Fi pham phonot!" May shot back, her mouth full of the buttery popcorn.

"Thanks for proving my point, dumbo. Now go get us some more popcorn before I stuff your mouth full of my fist," Marie ordered as she shoved the empty bowl into May's hands. May finished chewing the popcorn and swallowed it, allowing her to talk clearly.

"Gosh, you're always so bossy, just like Lee!" May whined as she stood up. "And you're always complaining about Lee being pushy, but you boss me around when she's not around!" May added as she began to walk toward the kitchen.

"That's the way life works, chump! When Mom's around, she's the boss, when Lee's around, she's the boss, and when I'm around, I'm the boss!" Marie explained snidely as she watched May walk into the kitchen, who was trying to ignore Marie. "So get over it!" Marie yelled when May was out of sight. Marie then leaned back into the couch, content with herself. She did understand where May was coming from; after all, she hated it when Lee acted like she was their leader or something. But then, Marie could also understand where Lee was coming from; after all, when Lee wasn't around, Marie got a kick out of bossing May around. Marie looked over at a clock they had hanging on the wall, and saw the big hand was pointing at the nine while the little hand was pointing at the twelve. May walked back into the living room, the bowl once again filled with popcorn, and took a seat next to Marie. Before May could get some popcorn out of the bowl, however, Marie snatched it away from her.

"Hey!" May protested as she looked over at Marie.

"Hey nothing! You got the last bite out of the first bowl, so I get the first bite out of this bowl! That's the way it works!" Marie explained angrily before grabbing a handful of popcorn and shoving it into her mouth.

"Whatever," May muttered before grabbing some popcorn. "I just wish Lee was around so I didn't have to put up with your crap," May complained, obviously trying to start a fight.

"Look, when you go out and get a job like Lee, then you don't have to up with my shit," Marie shot back.

"Yeah, well how about you go out and get a job like Lee," May answered as she sat up. "Bum..." May added under her breath; Marie still heard her.

"Bum, huh? I'm looking for a job, for your information, and when I get a job, I better not hear you call me a bum again," Marie replied as she grabbed some popcorn. They then fell silent and continued to watch television, both of them grabbing some popcorn every once in a while. Marie didn't want to let May know it, but she had struck a chord in her: Marie hated being the middle child. She wanted to be the leader like Lee, and be able to boss around the other two, and she also wished she had a job like Lee so that both her sisters and her Mom would stop calling her a lazy bum. But then she also yearned to be the youngest of the three. May had less responsibilities than Marie and Lee, and sometimes she wished she could have little to no responsibility either.

"So... um..." May started, the argument they just had making any sort of conversation awkward. "When are those four kids from the cul-de-sac coming over?" May asked. Marie sighed, still a little pissed at May.

"Lee told them to come around in the late afternoon. I guess so that she could be here too to tell them what we have in mind for the Eds," Marie explained before munching on some popcorn.

"Oh... well what do we have in mind for the Eds?" May asked, oblivious to what they were actually planning to do.

"Yeah, I forgot that we didn't tell you..." Marie muttered as she sat up. "Well, you'll find out when we explain it to those chumps," Marie said to May, who suddenly appeared offended.

"What? Why don't I get to know right now?" May asked, anger rising up in her once again. Marie pondered how she was going to answer her question; after all, she didn't have a good reason why she couldn't tell May. Actually, she did, although it pained her greatly.

"Alright, well you want the truth, May?" Marie asked back; May nodded slowly, unsure if she really wanted to hear what Marie had to say. "I... well I don't know what we're doing either. Lee's the one who's doing all the planning," Marie revealed, causing May to cool off.

"Oh... well that sucks," May huffed before crossing her arms and throwing herself against the back of the couch.

"Hell yeah it does. But if Lee wants to be all secretive about it, then I don't give a shit. After all, as long as I get to have fun with Double D, I'm willing to wait," Marie explained. May nodded in agreement and uncrossed her arms. May and Marie both whirled around when they heard a few knocks sound off from their trailer door. Marie shot a look over at May, as if to ask "Do you know who it is?", but May just shrugged. Marie and May both stood up and then quickly made their way over to their door. Marie unlocked the door and then opened it to reveal Kevin, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny.

"Uh... hello," Jimmy said nervously as May and Marie looked at them, apparently surprised by their appearance.

"What the- why are you guys here so early?" Marie asked.

"Well... I thought you said to come over here so you could tell us the plan," Jimmy answered, suddenly feeling confused.

"Yeah, in the _late _afternoon , dumb ass," Marie replied as she balled up her fist. "Don't you know how to tell the fucking time?" Jimmy gulped as he looked nervously at the others, who looked equally scared. Jimmy sighed and turned back to Marie and May.

"Okay, look, I'm sorry, but there's no way we can go back to the cul-de-sac right now... we might get spotted," Jimmy informed May and Marie as he twiddled his thumbs. Marie uncurled her fist. She looked over at May, who also looked unsure of what to do. Marie turned back to the kids, quickly thinking of a compromise.

"Alright, here's the deal: you four can come inside and wait. Lee will be here in an hour, and then we'll tell you what's up," Marie explained. Jimmy, Sarah, Kevin, and Jonny all nodded. "But, there are a few rules: first of all, you don't touch anything, or I'll break your nose. Second, you stay in the kitchen and don't move anywhere, or I'll break your nose. Third, keep it down, or I'll break your nose. And fourth, if May or I order you to do something, you do it, or we'll both break your nose," Marie spelled out as the kids listened intently. "Got all that?"

"Yeah..." Jimmy answered softly, unsure of whether or not he really wanted to go inside now.

"Good. Then get in the kitchen, and don't move a muscle until Lee gets here," Marie ordered before motioning for them to step inside. Jimmy and the others had ever set foot inside of the Kankers' trailer; sure, Jimmy had made plenty of dirty deals with them in the past, but they had never invited him inside. Not that he wanted to go inside. So the kids marveled at all of the strange items the Kankers had on their walls. There was an anchor, a fishing spear, a huge swordfish, a ship-in-a-bottle, and several other nautical themed items hanging on every wall. Jonny looked over at the television and saw that May and Marie were watching some sort of adventure movie, and it piqued his interest.

"I love adventure movies!" Jonny exclaimed, about to sit down and watch it.

"In your dreams, weirdo!" Marie jeered before shoving Jonny toward the kitchen, where the others were already making themselves at home.

"No need to be so pushy..." Jonny muttered, obviously angry at Marie for shoving him. Marie _really_ didn't like Jonny; if not for the fact that he was a complete weirdo and a loser to her, then for the fact that he was so annoying. Then again, she didn't like any of the kids from the cul-de-sac, so it wasn't surprising that she didn't like Jonny either. Jonny felt the same way about Marie; to him, she was a horrible person and a bully. The irony that they were cooperating despite their hatred for each other, however, wasn't lost on either of them. Jonny made his way into the kitchen and took a seat at the table, where Jimmy, Sarah, and Kevin were already seated.

"So... are we really gonna wait _here_ for their sister to show up?" Kevin asked as he looked around the kitchen. Kevin had never been inside of the Kankers' trailer, just like the others, but he already knew he didn't like it. He had such a disdain for the Kankers that it only seemed to reinforce the fact that they were complete trash, at least for him.

"Unfortunately, yes. But at least we can talk to each other," Jimmy reassured Kevin, who leaned back in the chair.

"Oh goody..." Kevin muttered sarcastically. The fact that they were all working against the Eds was the only thing that really kept the group together; sure, they usually got along, but, when stuck in the same place for a while, it was apparent that no one at the table were really friends in the true sense of the word. Or, at least two of them _used_ to be. Jimmy looked over at Sarah, who seemed a bit spaced out. She hadn't really said a word all the way to the trailer park, and still wasn't speaking now that they were forced to wait for Lee to show up. Jimmy tapped Sarah on the arm, and she looked up at him.

"Yeah?" Sarah asked, seeming a bit lost.

"Is something wrong?" Jimmy asked, obviously concerned. Sarah shook her head. "Okay... just making sure," Jimmy said before turning his attention to Jonny, who was eying a bottle of ketchup that was sitting in the middle of the table. Sarah sighed. There _was_ something wrong with her. And she was surprised Jimmy didn't know it. Her mind was stuck on the notebook that Marie had showed her the day before, and, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget the things Edd had written about her. At the time, she had said she couldn't believe that she once liked him. But the truth was, she still did. Up until that point, of course. Sure, Edd was friends with Ed and Eddy, who were pretty much the bane of her life, but she thought that one day she might have a chance to be with Edd if he ever had a falling out with Eddy and her brother. It seemed, however, that he didn't feel the same way about her. To him, all she was was a brat and problem that needed to be solved. She felt like she could cry. She knew she couldn't. Instead, she would feed her pain into a lust for revenge against Edd _and_ her brother, with Eddy's suffering as a bonus.

"Please don't touch that ketchup, Jonny," Jimmy pleaded, knowing that Jonny had some sort of fetish for inanimate objects.

"But-"

"But nothing, globe head; unless you want the Kankers to rip your arms off, I'd recommend not messing with any of their shit," Kevin advised as he leaned back in the chair, which was now standing on two legs. Jonny nodded, remembering the threats Marie had made.

"I guess you guys have a point... I just hate sitting around and doing nothing," Jonny commented as he fidgeted around in his seat a bit.

"Hey, I feel the same way. I'm just not stupid enough to mess around and piss off the Kankers," Kevin said, obviously implying that Jonny _was_ stupid enough to do just that. Jonny ignored Kevin's rudeness and just resigned himself to kicking his feet back and forth under the table. Kevin turned his attention to Jimmy, who had his hands cupped together and resting on the table. "Anyway, I hope all this shit we're going through is worth it, fluffy," Kevin stated as he stopped leaning back the chair and rested his head on his right arm.

"I hope so too," Jimmy answered, not sure of whether or not it would be worth it in the end himself.

* * *

The baseball bounced off of the fence and flew backwards, where it bounced off of the ground and into Eddy's hand. He looked down at the baseball, which had writing in faded marker that read "Eddy". He sighed before throwing it at the fence again, letting it hit and then bounce back before catching it. Eddy was at a loss for what to do, so he had come down to the lane to think, and had also brought his baseball so that he had something to keep himself busy while he did so. Eddy had been thinking about Ed and Edd the whole time and about how they had come to him the day before in an attempt to get him to open up. Did they really think they could break him so easily? Seeing them did make him feel bad, of course, but he knew he couldn't give in to his instinct to tell them everything so that they could be friends again. He knew that they'd try again. After all, they had been friends with Eddy for over a decade. Saying that they were best friends would be an understatement. That's why Eddy couldn't get his mind off of them; he had spent almost every day of his life hanging out with them, and it pained him to see them confused and bewildered by his breaking off of contact with them.

Eddy was snapped out of thought when he spotted Rolf and Nazz approaching him. He caught the baseball as it bounced back to him and then he quickly pocketed it. "Hey, Eddy, can we talk for a minute?" Nazz asked as she and Rolf came to a halt in front of him. Eddy didn't feel like talking to anyone, but, considering the fact that Nazz rarely ever came to him, he knew it had to be something important.

"Uh.. sure," Eddy answered quietly. Nazz found it odd that Ed and Edd were no where to be seen; she thought back to how she felt the same way when she spotted Ed and Edd without Eddy.

"Alright, well, I know this may seem like a weird question, but have you seen Kevin?" Nazz asked.

"No... why?" Eddy asked, mentally agreeing with Nazz. After all, he absolutely despised Kevin, so why would he know where he was?

"Darn... okay, well I guess he'll just have to do without his knife then," Nazz said as he motioned for Rolf and her to leave.

"Well, wait... you said a knife?" Eddy asked, causing Nazz and Rolf to stop.

"Yeah," Nazz began before producing a knife from her pocket. It was Kevin's switchblade. "He left this at Rolf's house this morning." Eddy eyed the switchblade, the blade retracted and inside of the handle.

"Shouldn't he be at his house? Isn't he grounded or something?" Eddy asked, although he already knew the answer to the question.

"Yes, Rolf and Nazz found it strange that Kevin was absent at his residence, Ed-boy," Rolf began. "Kevin told us that his elders would be angry with him if he wasn't found in the darkness of his room when they came back, but... Kevin was no where to be found." Eddy found it interesting that Kevin would have the need to lie to Nazz and Rolf; after all, the three of them were good friends, so it must have to be something pretty serious for Kevin to lie to them about it. Normally Eddy would love to take advantage of a situation like this, but he felt so emotionally drained and vulnerable that he just wasn't up to it. Kevin's switchblade, however, was of interest of him. He knew he had to have it. Not only would it piss off Kevin with little effort on his part, but it would also offer Eddy protection in case the Kankers decided to pay him a visit again.

"Look... I'm not going to lie to you guys: Kevin and I don't really get along. But, if it'll help out you guys, I'll take his knife and I'll give it to him if I see him," Eddy offered.

"Would you really?" Nazz asked, obviously surprised; after all, Eddy was never known to do nice things without some sort of price attached to them.

"Sure. I really don't want it to end up in the wrong hands," Eddy replied, feigning concern.

"Thanks, Eddy, that really takes a load off of my chest," Nazz said, very pleased that Eddy was being so nice. She handed him the knife, and he quickly pocketed it.

"No problem," Eddy answered as he patted the pocket that the knife was in.

"By the way, if you don't mind me asking, is there something going on between you, Ed, and Double D?" Nazz asked. Eddy didn't want to show it, but he was taken aback by Nazz's question; he knew that everyone in the neighborhood would eventually find out about the rift between Eddy and the other two Eds, but he hadn't expected Nazz, of all people, to take interest in it.

"Uh... well..." Eddy fumbled, not sure of how to answer. "Listen... we just needed some time away from each other is all... you wouldn't understand," Eddy explained, desperate to get away from the subject.

"Okay... well are you sure that's all that's wrong?" Nazz asked.

"Yeah, that's all. Hell, you'll probably see us hanging out again in no time," Eddy added as he tried to put on a sincere smile.

"That's good to hear. Okay, well, if you need anything from me or Rolf, we'll be hanging out down at the Creek," Nazz said before motioning for Rolf to follow her. Eddy sighed as he watched them walk away. Talking to Nazz and Rolf only served to reinforce the fact that he couldn't talk to Ed and Edd ever again. He had to make them stay away. He thought about the future; maybe they could be friends again after they left Peach Creek. After they got as far away from the Kankers as he could possibly get them. He just hoped that Ed and Edd would still want to be friends at that point. He hoped that they would be able to forgive him for what he's doing to them. He thought that maybe one day he could tell them why he did what he did. Why he acted so strange. Why he stopped being friends with them for so long. All that he had left was hope. And he hoped that his hope would keep him going.

* * *

Ed and Edd both sat on the sidewalk outside of Nazz's house, resigned to defeat. After Ed and Edd had given up yesterday, Edd had figured that they should try Nazz's house again, but it seemed she was missing. Even stranger, it seemed that everyone was missing. Even Eddy; they had went to his house before they went to Nazz's, thinking that maybe Eddy would be more willing to talk to them today. But it seemed that he was missing, just like everyone else. Edd honestly had no idea where they had all went off to, although it wasn't exactly strange for the kids to go off and do something without the Eds; that was actually the norm. Eddy's disappearance, however, was quite troubling, although it was a very likely possibility that he might've gone off to do some shopping with his mother or something along those lines. He just hoped that Eddy's disappearance wasn't for some other reason; it might be a part of why Eddy had cut himself off from Ed and him.

"What now, Double D?" Ed asked, looking to the smarter of the Eds for guidance.

"Well, from the looks of it, everyone has vacated from the cul-de-sac for no apparent reason... it seems that it's just you and I," Edd explained as Ed nodded. "But don't fret, Ed. We can always do something together, at least until everyone else returns."

"Oh... well in that case, we should go back to my house and play some board games!" Ed exclaimed as he leaped to his feet.

"I had no idea you even had board games... well, I'm always up for a good game of Monopoly or Life," Edd said as he stood up as well.

"Monopoly and Life are boring! I have cool games, like Mutants and Monsters and Targo the Dragon Slayer!" Ed proclaimed as Edd sighed.

"I suppose I can deal with that. I just hope these games aren't as violent as your comics," Edd commented before following Ed back to his house. Edd wasn't looking forward to playing the games; after all, just from the titles they didn't seem like they'd be very much fun, at least for him. Still, seeing Ed happy was a good thing, and he decided that keeping Ed's spirits up was worth sitting through whatever games Ed had planned for them.

* * *

Eddy had thought of something to take his mind off of Ed and Edd. And, so far, it was working. Eddy stood outside of the Candy Store, wondering whether or not he should enter. The very thought of being able to taste the orbs of sweet sugary goodness that he had always sought out made his mouth water with anticipation. Eddy pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside of the Candy Store, the cool breeze from the air conditioning washing over him. Eddy relished the sight of all the candies piled around him in several different bins. Only one bin in particular, however, caught his main attention: the jawbreaker bin. All kinds of flavors of jawbreakers were piled in front of him, and his mouth began to water as he stared at them. He slowly stepped forward and retrieved a big red jawbreaker; it was cherry flavored. As he walked toward the counter, he dug around in his pocket and retrieved twenty five cents.

Eddy stepped out of the Candy Store, having bought the jawbreaker, and stopped out in front of the store to admire it. He never really got the chance to have many jawbreakers. It was funny really; he had always been so obsessed with getting jawbreakers, and he rarely ever got them. This would be one of the few times he had the money to go out and get one. And there was nothing stopping him from stuffing it into his mouth. He could just shove it in right now. And he did. He quickly stuffed the jawbreaker into his mouth, and let it slide into his cheek area, and then slowly started to suck on it. It was delicious. The flavor was coursing through his mouth, hitting every sweet spot on his tongue as he suckled it. It was the pinnacle of sweetness. Literally nothing could make this moment better.

Except for Ed and Edd. He wished they were there with him, all of them enjoying jawbreakers together. That was the way it was supposed to be. The three of them, victorious, using their ill-gotten gains to purchase the jawbreakers and then enjoy them together. Together as friends. Eddy walked over to a nearby trash can and then took the jawbreaker out of his mouth. He tossed it into the garbage bin and then began to walk back toward the cul-de-sac. The sweetness of the jawbreaker wouldn't bring back the good times he had with Ed and Edd. Nothing could.

* * *

"Checkmate!" Ed yelled as he knocked over Edd's mage with his knight, giving him access to the treasures that Edd had worked so hard to get to.

"Oh dear... what happens when you knock over my playing piece like that?" Edd asked, still not clear on the rules of the game they were playing; after all, Ed refused to let Edd see the manual, insisting that he knows the rules by heart.

"You have to start all the way back at Sloth's Dungeon!" Ed proclaimed before grabbing Edd's mage and moving back to the starting space of the game.

"At this rate, I'll never reach that darn dragon..." Edd muttered as he looked at the other end of the board, where a big plastic dragon figure sat.

"Don't worry, Double D, leave the reaching to me!" Ed said before rolling the die again.

"Are you allowed to go twice in a row like that?" Edd asked, confused.

"Yeah, because I got Alexander's treasure, duh!" Ed answered, acting as if it was common knowledge. Ed rolled a four and moved his knight forward toward the dragon. "Soon I, Targo the Dragon Slayer, will have the head of this dastardly beast!" Ed declared as he handed the die over to Edd, who, at this point, was pretty much giving up, seeing as how he had to start at the beginning again.

"Well, here I go..." Edd trailed off before tossing the die down. Edd rolled a six, and began to move his mage forward, and he landed on what looked like a dark pit.

"That's the pit of horror, screaming, death, and despair!" Ed exclaimed.

"Well, if the name is any indication, I think my character is in a lot of trouble, right?" Edd asked, not surprised by his luck.

"And trouble there was, as Moglin the Mage tumbled down into the dark depths of the pit, where a horde of ravenous field mice wait to munch on his bones," Ed said, in a creepy and hushed tone.

"So... my character died?" Edd asked, confused.

"Yep!" Ed answered before grabbing the mage and putting it in a pile of other dead characters, such as a barbarian, an archer, and a princess.

"Well, that's the tenth time in a row..." Edd lamented before sighing.

"And that means it's up to me to slay the dragon... again!" Ed proclaimed before grabbing the die and rolling it. Edd knew he sucked at the game, but he figured he'd keep on playing to keep Ed happy; and the game was actually a little fun, despite not knowing any of the rules and having to rely on Ed to tell him how to do everything. Ed's character was now in front of the dragon, and he began to "battle" with it; although he was just rolling the die, Ed acted like some sort of climactic battle was erupting before him. Edd watched Ed roll the die over and over again, reading his facial expressions to see whether or not each roll he performed was a good thing for him or the dragon. Ed suddenly leaped to his feet and threw his arms in the air in victory. "I have claimed the head of the evil dragon Morkantor, and I have freed the land from his evil reign of tyranny... and evil!" Ed said before happily prancing around while clutching the plastic figure of the dragon.

"Good work, Ed," Edd complimented as he watched Ed do his victory prance. Ed froze when the sound of the front door opening and closing sounded throughout the house. Ed and Edd both looked at each other. "Ed... please tell me your parents are home early," Edd said as he stared over at Ed.

"I don't think so..." Ed answered.

"Oh dear, then that means that it must be-"

"It must be the dragon!" Ed suddenly yelled. "I must defend my home from it's evil reign of tyranny... and evil!" Ed declared bravely before charging over to his closet.

"Ed, I don't think that a dragon, heaven forbid, would come to your house and-"

"Prepare to die, evil fiend!" Ed cried as he withdrew an umbrella from his closet.

"Wait, please don't-"

"I'm coming for you!" Ed shouted before charging out of his room and up his stairs.

"Oh my..." Edd muttered as he slowly followed Ed's warpath, knowing what could be awaiting the dim-witted boy upstairs.

"No dragon can survive Ed the slayer!" Ed cried before charging into his living room. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted the "dragon"; to Ed, the sight he beheld before him was more frightening than even a dragon. It was Sarah. Ed dropped the umbrella, and it fell to the floor and made a loud clacking sound. Ed's mind, unlike usual, began to race with thoughts. He knew that he was supposed to stay in his room due to his grounding, and, although Sarah had been kind enough to allow Ed and Edd to roam free the day before, Ed was sure that this time she wouldn't be so merciful. Even worse, he wasn't supposed to have guests over, but Edd was downstairs playing board games with him. Ed and Edd had been lucky enough to avoid Sarah earlier in the morning since she had disappeared, but now she was back, and Ed knew he was in hot water.

"Ed, you know you're not supposed to leave your room," Sarah began, although she seemed to lack the usual conviction and anger in her voice. Ed was sweating bullets while he tried to think of a proper excuse.

"I... well... I thought there was a dragon invading our house, so I came to destroy it," Ed said, deciding that the truth was better than a lie. Although, in this case, the truth was very stupid. Sarah sighed before stepping toward Ed, and Ed could barely resist the urge to bolt. Sarah stopped short of him and looked up at his face.

"Fine, I guess that's okay. We wouldn't want any dragons to burn down our house, after all," Sarah commented before walking off toward the kitchen. Ed stood there, dumbstruck. Ed must have been dreaming. There's no what just happened, really happened. Did Sarah just let him go? Did she just let him off scotch-free? Ed honestly couldn't believe it.

"Ed, are you in here?" Edd's voice rang out from the hallway behind Ed. Ed turned around as Edd entered the room. "Ah, there you are... well, was it a 'dragon' like you said?" Edd asked sarcastically.

"No... it was Sarah," Ed replied, causing Edd's sarcastic demeanor to change.

"Oh my... I'm guessing Sarah didn't take you vacating your room lightly..." Edd said before stepping toward Ed and examining him. "Although it seems that Sarah didn't lay a finger on you..." Edd commented, shocked that he didn't find Ed lying beaten and battered on the floor.

"Yeah... it was weird, Double D! When I told her about the evil dragon, she said it was okay because she didn't want our house to burn down!" Ed explained, obviously still shocked by Sarah's strange behavior. Edd furrowed his brow as he thought over what Ed had just told him. Sarah humoring Ed's imagination? That literally never happened; normally, if Ed had come charging upstairs claiming that a dragon attack was imminent, Sarah would've called him an idiot and then smacked him for good measure.

"That _is_ weird... perhaps Sarah's just in a good mood?" Edd suggested, although, even in the best of moods, Sarah was still very brutal and short with the Eds. "This may require further investigation," Edd proposed before motioning for Ed to lend him an ear so he could explain his plan to Ed.

Sarah walked over to the fridge and quickly retrieved some milk from within the fridge. She walked back over to the table, where a bowl of chunky puffs sat waiting, eager for her to wash the milk over it. Sarah began to pour the milk into the bowl, and, when the bowl was almost spilling over the sides with it, she stopped pouring and returned the milk to the fridge. As Sarah sat down to eat the cereal, Ed peaked into the room. Ed studied his sister as she was eating, watching her spoon chunky puffs into her mouth. Ed knew that Edd wanted him to see what was up with Sarah, but he was truly afraid. After all, just his mere presence was enough to set her off in normal circumstances. Ed slowly crept into the room and began to make his way to the table. Sarah suddenly stopped eating and looked up at him, causing Ed to freeze in his tracks. He and Sarah stared at each other for a few moments.

"Hey, want some chunky puffs?" Sarah asked as she grabbed the box, which was still sitting on the table, and displayed it for him. Ed didn't know whether or not it was a trick question or if Sarah was trying to play some sort of mind game with him.

"Um... yes?" Ed answered before flinching away, preparing himself in case she decided to scream at him or hit him.

"Okay, let me get you a bowl," Sarah answered before hopping down from her seat and walking over to the cupboard. Ed watched her in confusion and disbelief as she retrieved a bowl and a spoon and came back to the table. She sat the bowl and spoon in front of Ed as he sat down at the table across from her seat. "Here you go, now let me go get you some milk," Sarah said before walking over to the fridge. Ed picked up the box of chunky puffs slowly, the feel of the cardboard of the box reassuring him that this wasn't some dream he was having. Sarah grabbed the milk and came back over to Ed, who had just finished pouring the chunky puffs into the bowl Sarah opened the milk and slowly began to pour it into his bowl. "Tell me when," Sarah said as they both watched the level of milk rise slowly in the bowl.

"That's... that's good," Ed said slowly, talking feeling foreign to him right now. Sarah nodded before walking back over to the fridge to put away the milk. Ed slowly picked up his spoon and poked at his chunky puffs. Ed would love to start gorging himself, but he couldn't take his eyes off of Sarah, who he was sure was off her rocker. Sarah came back to the table, sat down, and began to slowly and delicately spoon the cereal into her mouth. Ed couldn't help but keep watching his sister. There had to be something wrong with her. She had gone crazy. She had gone insane. She was never nice to Ed; that was an unwritten rule that she seemed to follow, and it was a rule that Ed had to be wary of twenty-four seven. Ed knew he had to say something, but what that something was escaped him.

"Aren't you gonna eat your cereal?" Sarah suddenly asked. Ed snapped out of thought and realized that Sarah had stopped eating and was looking at Ed, who was just sitting there staring at her. Ed looked into her eyes: instead of the usual hatred he saw, he saw something that he was sure Sarah would never show him: concern. Ed gathered up the courage to speak.

"Sure am," Ed said as he perked up, trying to make it seem like he wasn't currently wondering if this was even real. Ed began to spoon the cereal into his mouth, relishing the taste and flavor as Sarah, who seemed content with Ed's answer, resumed eating her cereal as well. Ed couldn't believe what was happening. Were he and his sister actually getting along? Ed, being the mammoth eater that he is, finished his bowl of cereal before Sarah, and patted his tummy as the sweet mixture of cereal and milk swished around within. Sarah finished shortly afterwards, and she quickly hopped out of her chair, her bowl in one hand.

"Here, let me get that for you," Sarah said politely as she grabbed Ed's bowl and brought it over to the sink. Once again, Ed was left to watch in wonder and amazement as his sister, who had made a point to never do anything nice for Ed, took his bowl to the sink for him. Ed was sure now that this was a dream; any second, he'd wake up in his bed and it would be day outside, and his sister would be the evil little child she usually was. Sarah deposited the two bowls into the sink and returned to the table to retrieve the chunky puffs. "Did you enjoy the cereal, Ed?" Sarah asked as she walked over to the cupboard to put away the cereal.

"Yep," Ed stated as he watched his sister walk over to him.

"That's good to hear. If you need anything, I'll be in my room," Sarah informed him before walking off. Ed watched her leave in disbelieve. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. He was certain that, if this wasn't a dream, Sarah was probably trying to get him to lower his defenses so that she could do something mean to him. He was sure of it. Once Ed was certain that Sarah had most likely reached her room, he jetted out of the kitchen and ran to his room, where Edd had told him he'd be waiting. Ed tore down the stairs and into his room, where Edd sat on Ed's bed. Edd looked up from some sort of scientific magazine he was reading as Ed ran in.

"So, Ed, I take it that it didn't go so well judging by the fact that you've come storming down here like a monster is pursuing you," Edd commented as he closed the magazine he was reading and tossed it beside him.

"Actually... Sarah was nice to me," Ed revealed, causing Edd to don a look of genuine surprise.

"Are you... are you sure it was sincere, Ed?" Edd asked, wary of Sarah's skill when it came to manipulating Ed.

"I don't know... but she was really nice!" Ed exclaimed, still unsure of whether or not this was even real.

"There's no way... I mean, why would Sarah be nice to you?" Edd asked no one in particular.

"Maybe your plan worked!" Ed suggested as he joined Edd at his side.

"Perhaps... but it's just too good to be true... I have to see this for myself," Edd said as he turned to Ed. "Not that I wish to cast doubt on what you're telling me, but I have to be absolutely sure that Sarah has had a change of heart," Edd explained. "Anyway, since she doesn't realize that I'm here yet, I suppose it would be best if I sneak outside, come around front, and act as if I've come to see you. When I ring the doorbell, let Sarah answer the door," Edd planned out as Ed listened. "Got it, Ed?"

"It's down pat, Double D," Ed answered as he gave Edd a thumbs up. Edd scanned Ed's room before spotting Ed's model rocket ship.

"To make it more convincing, I'll take your rocket ship and claim that I'm here to return it," Edd explained as he walked over to the rocket ship. "Is that fine with you?"

"The rocket is ready to launch!" Ed exclaimed, which Edd took as a yes. Edd grabbed the rocket ship and then made his way over to Ed's window to sneak out. Edd climbed out through Ed's window and dusted himself off. He took a quick look around before making his way around Ed's house and to the front door. He walked up to the door and rung the doorbell, and then waited patiently for someone to answer. The door opened after a few moments to reveal Sarah.

"Hello, Double D," Sarah said politely as she beamed at him. Edd noted Sarah's greeting to him, but he knew that her apparent kindness toward him might be perhaps because she had a crush on him, a crush that Edd desperately wished Sarah would lose. Still, he knew the one thing he could do to change her kind demeanor would be to bring up her brother, and that's exactly what he was going to do.

"Hello, Sarah," Edd greeted before clearing his throat. "Now, I don't mean to trouble you, and I realize that Ed is grounded, but I really need to return this rocket ship that he left over my house a few days ago," Edd explained quickly before holding up the model rocket ship.

"Well, I guess it's okay," Sarah answered as she shrugged; she stepped aside to signal that Edd could come in, much to his surprise.

"Uh... well, thank you, Sarah," Edd said before entering. "Are you sure your parents won't be angry that I disturbed Ed during his punishment?"

"It'll be fine, trust me. Besides, I let you guys go yesterday too, so I guess it wouldn't do any harm to let you go see him now," Sarah replied before walking back toward her room, leaving Edd to stand there in disbelief. Edd, still bewildered by Sarah's kindness and understanding, slowly made his way back to Ed's room, where Ed sat on his bed. Ed looked up from his Chicks Galore magazine to see Edd standing there with his rocket ship.

"Did the mission to Mars go well, Captain Double D?" Ed asked as he tossed his magazine beside him and then stood up.

"Uh... well, yes, actually. I... I guess Sarah really is being nice to us... and it doesn't seem forced or part of some sort of evil plan of hers... so I can only assume that she has had a change of heart," Edd stuttered, still unsure of what just happened with Sarah.

"That means my baby sister is finally nice!" Ed exclaimed.

"It seems so, but let's not be too hasty. Even if she has come around, I'd rather not go running acting like we're all best friends or anything, as that might cause a relapse in her behavior," Edd explained to Ed, who was struggling to follow what he was saying.

"So... what you're saying is, I can't run upstairs and give Sarah a big hug?" Ed asked.

"Exactly. Just play it low-key for now, and when we're sure that Sarah's come around, then perhaps you can act far more brotherly toward her," Edd suggested as Ed nodded. Although Edd obviously still had his doubts about Sarah, Ed now could feel that she had changed. He could tell that there was something different in her; it was as if a priest had performed an exorcism on her and removed all the bad spirits from within her and replaced them with good spirits. Despite Ed and Edd's different views on Sarah, they both mentally agreed about one part of it: things were suddenly looking up.


	12. With Friends like These

**Author's Note:**_ Well, here it is, chapter twelve. As I said before, updates might be a bit sporadic from now on, but, if the first day of college is anything to go by, they might be more frequent than I thought. Don't hold me to that, though. I'm gonna go ahead and thank everyone who's been reading so far, and, as always, read and, if you have the time, review._

* * *

"This is bullshit," Kevin muttered to Jimmy as the two of them hung out in the lane; Kevin was leaning against the fence, while Jimmy stood next to him. They had finished their meeting with the Kankers a while ago, but Kevin was still pissed at the outcome.

"Calm down, Kevin," Jimmy replied quietly, trying to soothe the furious jock. The Kankers plan, at least in Jimmy's eyes, was brilliant; he had always thought of them as the more direct, brutish type, especially from his own experiences with them, but their approach to getting revenge on the Eds was so sound that Jimmy was in full agreement. Kevin, on the other hand, hated it, since it entailed doing something Kevin himself said he would never do in a million years. Of course, Jimmy knew that part of it was probably because of the Nazz incident; after all, Kevin had told Jimmy when they were all sitting around the table while waiting for Lee that he was still pissed at the Kankers for messing with Nazz, and that he was going to get them back as soon as they were done with the Eds. Jimmy knew this could spell trouble for their plans, as Kevin's blind anger against the Kankers could cause a rift and divide the group. So Jimmy knew he had to assuage Kevin's anger or they ran the risk of ruining the plans and causing even more problems for everyone.

"Calm down my ass!" Kevin yelled as he got off of the fence and crossed his arms. "I mean, first they steal my bike, then they torture me and Rolf for hours, then they destroy my bike, then they chase after Nazz, and then this stupid ass plan! Who knows what kind of shit they'll pull next!" Kevin railed as he turned to Jimmy.

"Listen, I'm in full agreement with you. Believe me, I know the Kankers are just as bad for us as the Eds, but-"

"But? But what?" Kevin asked angrily. "We need to do something about those trailer trash bitches before-"

"I know!" Jimmy yelled, interrupting Kevin, who suddenly shut up. "I... I know... look, I've encountered the Kankers before, and I've been around them almost as much as the Eds have. They're horrible people... they've bullied me, harassed me, teased me, and made my life hell..." Jimmy admitted slowly as Kevin began to cool down. "I guarantee you that, after we're done cooperating with them, after the Eds are shoved out of our lives completely, after we have to no longer worry about those three, that the Kankers will get theirs," Jimmy stated coldly and methodically. Kevin, although in full agreement with Jimmy, was a bit taken aback; he knew that everyone in the cul-de-sac shared a hatred for the Kankers, but now he was realizing that maybe he wasn't the only person the Kankers had wronged severely, other than the Eds of course. But they deserved that, in his eyes. Kevin and Jimmy both began to calm down, and a silence fell between them.

"Alright... alright, you're right. I guess I can get a little heated sometimes," Kevin admitted awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"It's okay. I just want this to go right. Because if it does, then everyone's lives will be that much better," Jimmy said.

"Damn right," Kevin agreed as he returned to leaning against the fence. Kevin was glad that he could at least count on Jimmy to help him out with the Kankers; he was glad to find an ally in his hatred for the three... although he knew of three others who would probably jump at the opportunity to rid the cul-de-sac of the Kankers as well, that was out of the question. "Anyway," Kevin spoke up, hoping to change the subject to the task at hand, "when are we going to find the Eds so we can set this shit into motion?"

"Well, according to the plan, we shouldn't really be seeking them out; we should be waiting for them to encounter us," Jimmy replied.

"Oh great, and how does that work?" Kevin asked as he looked over at Jimmy. "I mean, what reason would the Eds have to come and find me?" Kevin asked, knowing that they tried to avoid him at all times, if possible.

"Don't worry, if Sarah does her job correctly, then the Eds should start searching you out soon..." Jimmy explained. "Although..." Jimmy added quietly, remembering information that he had learned yesterday.

"Although what?" Kevin asked, curious as to what extraneous factor could affect the plan.

"Well, a new fact came to light yesterday when I encountered Ed and Double D that I probably should've told you before we went to the Kankers... heck, I probably should've told the Kankers as well," Jimmy started before taking in a deep breath and thinking about how he was going to put this. "You see, Ed and Double D came to my house yesterday asking for my help with a problem they were having," Jimmy related as Kevin nodded. "It seems that Eddy has shut himself up in his house or something along those lines, and refuses to speak to either one of them." Kevin's face scrunched up upon the delivery of this new development. He didn't know why Eddy would push Ed and Edd away, and he definitely didn't know whether this was a good or bad thing for them.

"I could really care less about whether Dorky and the Dorkettes are getting along, but you don't think this is going fuck up our plans, do you?" Kevin asked, hoping that Jimmy might be able to clear up the confusion.

"I'm not sure... it could be good for us, as it leaves Ed and Double D especially vulnerable to our acts of good will... still, it could mean that we can't get to Eddy, which could place our plans into jeopardy," Jimmy explained.

"There's always something... I guess we'll just have to wing it or something," Kevin said before shrugging. "All I know is that this shit is gonna get even more difficult when my parents get back tomorrow. Unless we get this plan on the fast track, it's going to be difficult meeting up with you guys and moving around when I'm supposed to be at home grounded..." Kevin explained.

"Yeah, but can't we just break you out when your parents are at work, and then get you back in when they get back from work?" Jimmy asked, hoping to find a suitable solution.

"Maybe..." Kevin mumbled as he began to stare at the fence opposite he and Jimmy, beginning to get lost in his thoughts. "Yeah, I guess it'll work. Anyway, I gotta get back to Nazz and Rolf and make up another lie about why my parents aren't home yet and a bunch of other bullshit I probably told her and Rolf too..." Kevin muttered as he began to stretch. "I just wish I didn't have to lie to them about this shit... it would be nice if they were in on this," Kevin said as he turned to Jimmy.

"I'd love to have their support too, but you know that they'd never want to do something like this to the Eds... sure, Nazz and Rolf probably would agree that their a menace, but Nazz refuses to acknowledge their wrongdoings as a threat, even after experiencing them first-hand. And Rolf... well I have a feeling we'd probably be offending some sort of long-held tradition of his or something..." Jimmy explained before trailing off and thinking back to the many weird customs that Rolf had.

"Point-taken. I'll just be glad when this is over and those dorks know their place," Kevin responded before starting off back to the cul-de-sac. "See ya around, Jimmy," Kevin said as he walked off.

* * *

Eddy walked slowly back toward the cul-de-sac, each step more taxing than the last. He hadn't done much today, but he was already tired. It wasn't a physical form of fatigue; it was something mental. Life was slowly sapping away the will to even think anymore. He felt like some sort of zombie. That state of mental destitution faded quickly, however, when he stopped at the entrance of the cul-de-sac and stared across at another person who was entering at the same time he was. It was Kevin. And he was staring back at him. _Shit _was the first word that came to mind. He knew that Kevin had probably found out about Eddy taking his knife from Nazz, and was probably going to beat his ass. Even if Kevin didn't know, it wasn't like he needed a good reason to beat the shit out of the Eds; even the littlest slight was usually enough.

Something was up with Kevin, however. He just stood across from Eddy, and he looked very reluctant to approach him. After a few moments, Kevin finally started to stroll awkwardly toward Eddy. Eddy fought his impulse to run; it was obvious that there was something more than a missing switchblade that Kevin was interested in. "Hey, what's up?" Kevin greeted as he stopped short of Eddy, who became very confused. Kevin asking him what's up? Something _was _up, and Eddy was sure that it was something that spelled trouble for him

"What do you want?" Eddy asked in a harsh tone before crossing his arms. Kevin cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh... well I just wanted to say uh... thanks. You know, for breaking me out of my house and everything..." Kevin said as he put on the best smile he could muster. Eddy rolled his eyes.

"You're welcome... welcome to get the hell away from me," Eddy quipped, unsure of why Kevin had chosen to thank him, especially so long after the fact.

"Hey, don't take it the wrong way, man... I just... well, I'm starting to feel bad about some of the stuff I did to you and your friends lately," Kevin admitted as Eddy studied him skeptically. Kevin felt extremely stupid right now; Kevin hated Eddy with every fiber of his being, but he knew that Eddy wasn't naive. Kevin feared that Eddy might see through his charade; after all, he was a lot less trusting than either Ed or Edd.

"Is that so?" Eddy asked rhetorically, obviously trying to take advantage of the situation to get some choice words in. "Hey, remember the last time you were sorry? It was really awesome of you to drug me and hand me over to those hyenas from the trailer park, I really appreciate it," Eddy said as Kevin stood silently. Kevin obviously wasn't prepared for Eddy to come on so strong. "Well, what do you have to say, block head?"

"Look, I've made some mistakes... but I want to make up for-"

"What, are you gonna give me some more poisoned jawbreakers or something? Is that how you say sorry, you sad piece of shit?" Eddy asked, his tone getting harsher and louder with every passing minute.

"I know you're angry, but-"

"You're damn right I'm angry! I'm pissed that you think you can just waltz up to me, say sorry, and think that everything is just peachy-fuckin'-keen!" Eddy yelled, causing Kevin to back off. Eddy was breathing heavily, and his face was a bright red. Eddy was furious with Kevin, and it was obvious that Kevin was getting the message. Of course, Kevin didn't know the pain he had caused Eddy; it may have not been directly his fault, but Kevin was the one who handed him over to the Kankers the day he had that race. And that was the same day that the Kankers revealed their true, dark nature.

"Alright... alright, I'll leave you alone. If you change your mind and you want to... I don't, let me make up for what I've done, just come find me," Kevin said weakly. He was on the verge. The precipice. The cliff. He was so close to blowing up in Eddy's face, that it was hard maintaining himself. But he knew he had to do it; he'd prefer to just beat Eddy into a coma and be done with it, but he knew that the Kankers would be pissed, and he'd rather not repeat their past encounters.

"About damn time that you got the message. See you around, shovel chin," Eddy said coldly before pushing past Kevin and marching toward his house. Kevin let out a big breath of air, happy that it was over. Eddy obviously wasn't biting, so he knew he'd have to try again, much to his dismay. He hoped that Sarah had more luck with Ed than he did with Eddy, or the plan might start falling apart.

As Eddy stomped back to his house, anger still flowing through him, he couldn't help that there was more to Kevin wanting to apologize than just him feeling guilty. Kevin showed remorse for his past actions, sure. He seemed to even be ashamed of his conduct. Even then, how could Kevin possibly think that Eddy would forgive him for anything? Eddy knew that perhaps some of the animosity between them was his fault; after all, he had scammed Kevin on several occasions and even pranked him on several others. Still, the jock deserved it in his mind; Kevin had beaten, teased, and humiliated Eddy and his friends on many occasions with no provocation. The latest incident with the drugged jawbreakers was the worst thing Kevin had done to him, and Eddy wasn't about to find out what Kevin had in store next for him.

* * *

Sarah laid on her bed reading a magazine as she kicked her legs back and forth. Her eyes scanned over the words quickly, occasionally darting to a picture before returning to the tiny words that ran up and down the pages. She played with a loose strand of hair hanging from her forehead. Although she was reading the magazine, her mind was still hooked on what had happened earlier. It was all going according to plan, at least for her. She hoped that Kevin would have the fortitude to do as she did; she felt like tearing her hair out being so sickly sweet, but she knew it was worth it. Sarah was pulled away from her thoughts when she heard someone walking up the hallway. It was time to draw back the curtains once again.

Ed had taken advantage of the fact that Edd left to use the bathroom to go see Sarah. Edd had taken the last few moments to press into Ed's mind not to rush things, but he once again gave into the urge and decided to go see Sarah. He slowly walked up the hallway, trying to run through his head how exactly to approach her; her sudden transformation had bewildered him and Edd, so he was suddenly unsure of himself when it came to Sarah. He just hoped this wasn't some trick she was trying to pull on him. Ed stopped in his tracks when Sarah suddenly appeared at her door and peered down the hall at Ed. She had a little smile on her face.

"Did you need something, Ed?" Sarah asked sweetly. Ed took the moment to study her, making sure that she didn't have the strange boomerang the Eds had encountered before strapped to her. Upon seeing that the boomerang was no where to be found, Ed returned his attention to the situation at hand.

"I just... um... was wondering if you wanted to do something?" Ed asked awkwardly.

"Like what?" Sarah asked, her demeanor unchanging.

"Like watch a movie or something?" Ed asked. "I was thinking about asking Double D if he wanted to watch a monster movie, and I was... well... wondering if you wanted to watch too?" Ed asked, speaking and acting much more maturely than he usually would, much to his own surprise. Sarah seemed to think it over for a moment.

"Sure, I got nothing better to do," Sarah said casually before shrugging. Ed could barely contain his excitement; Sarah never wanted to do anything with him, and here she was about to watch a movie with him and Edd.

"Cool! You'll love this movie too, it's got screaming women in it, big explosions, and a big, one-eyed ogre with a fire hydrant for a hand!" Ed explained enthusiastically as Sarah walked over to him.

"Sounds really... um... interesting, Ed. Let me just go get some popcorn, and I'll meet you in your room to watch it," Sarah said kindly before walking past him and heading toward the kitchen. Ed bit his lip trying to contain himself. This was all too much for him; it seemed that Sarah had truly changed.

"Well, I feel much better now," Edd commented to himself as he dried his hands off. He studied himself quickly in the mirror, making sure that his hat was properly adjusted on his head, before turning to the bathroom door and twisting the handle. Edd pulled open the door and stepped out in the hall; he was startled when Ed suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him to the side. "Ed, if you have something to tell me, you could've just called my name or something," Edd said as Ed released his grip on his shoulder.

"Double D, Sarah said she would watch a monster movie with us!" Ed said excitedly.

"Monster movie? Ed, I have to decli... hold on, did you say that Sarah was going to watch it with us?" Edd asked, in disbelief of what he just heard. Sure, Sarah had been nice to them for a change, but offering to watch a monster movie with Ed and him? That was unheard of. Edd was sure Sarah didn't like that type of stuff, so he didn't know why exactly she would agree to that.

"Yep! She's gonna love it when the monster shoots the water beams out of it's hydrant!" Ed said with enthusiasm as Edd listened.

"Indeed... well, I suppose I can stay for just one movie, especially if it's in the interest of solidifying this new-found kindness in Sarah," Edd said as Ed jumped up in down in excitement. "I just hope this movie isn't too long... or too gory..." Edd whispered to himself as he followed Ed up the hallway.

* * *

Eddy was laying on his bed and staring at his ceiling as his record player played some soothing music softly. His anger at Kevin had died down, and he once again had returned to his bored state. He needed to find something constructive to do; something to keep his mind busy for days at a time. Eddy's hand went into his pocket and he retrieved Kevin's switchblade. He held it up to his face and flicked the blade out. He studied the way the light reflected off of the blade as he turned it over in his hands. "I could take up whittling..." Eddy muttered to himself. He chuckled lightly at the thought. Something in his backyard caught his attention as he studied the knife, and he turned his gaze over to his window, where the shades had been pulled up to reveal the outside world. He saw Jonny snooping around in his backyard, as if he was looking for someone or something. "Shit, Jonny must've lost Plank again," Eddy whispered to himself as he sat up, pocketed the switchblade, and then made his way to his door.

Eddy pulled open his door, causing Jonny to freeze and whirl around to face him. "Hey, Eddy!" Jonny greeted before running over to him. Eddy sighed; he already had to deal with Kevin being a complete tool today, and now Jonny, the most annoying person in the cul-de-sac, was here to torture him too.

"What are you doing in my backyard, Jonny?" Eddy asked, getting straight to the point.

"Ah... well... I was kind of looking for you," Jonny admitted as Eddy stared at him blankly.

"What for?" Eddy asked as he gripped his door; he was prepared to shut it in case Jonny was up to something stupid or really annoying.

"I... kind of... wanted to thank you," Jonny finally let out after some effort.

"Thank me? For what?" Eddy asked, puzzled. If he recalled correctly, the last time he saw Jonny he yelled at him and caused Jonny to run off. Jonny couldn't have possibly wanted to thank him for that.

"Well, I won't lie, you were a little harsh... but... you sort of woke me up, if you get what I'm saying," Jonny explained as Eddy let go of his grip of his door and began listening a bit more closely.

"Woke you up?" Eddy asked, a bit confused.

"Yeah... I guess you already noticed that Plank was missing," Jonny revealed as he spread out his arms to show that Plank was no where to be found. "You opened my eyes to the fact that... the fact that... that Plank isn't a real person," Jonny admitted. "He was... is just a hunk of wood. It took me a while to realize it, and I guess you were just what I needed to show me that's all he is." Eddy was genuinely surprised about this development; Eddy normally could care less about Jonny, but it was really weird seeing Jonny telling him that Plank wasn't real. Eddy smiled a bit; it was good to see that life was improving for someone around this dump.

"Uh... well I'm glad you've joined the rest of us in reality, I guess..." Eddy said blankly. "Actually... what I meant to say was... you're welcome," Eddy added, realizing that he had been a little harsh.

"No, no, it's okay. I understand I was a little loopy at times... I just wanted to make sure that I thanked you for your help," Jonny replied.

"Alright... well... uh... I was just about to take a little nap, so I guess you should be running along," Eddy said; although he was happy for Jonny, he really wanted to get back to being a miserable pile of pity.

"Are you okay, Eddy?" Jonny asked, noticing that Eddy looked drained of life and felt distant.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm all good. Just get going, Jonny, I really need to catch some z's," Eddy replied before nodding his head slightly at Jonny and then sliding the door shut. Eddy composed himself before walking away from his door and returning to his bed. The day was getting weirder and weirder. First, Kevin tries to make up with him, and then Jonny comes to him acting _normal_. There was something wrong with the cul-de-sac. He started to wonder if there was gas leak or something, and that maybe it was making everyone in the cul-de-sac crazy. Eddy cracked a smile at the idea. He wished he could get to sleep like he told Jonny he was going to do, but he was some sort of weird type of tired where he felt drained and empty, and wanted to close his eyes, but couldn't complete the process of going to sleep.

Eddy laid there on his bed, struggling to go to sleep, for what seemed like an eternity before he heard the phone ring. He sat up and sighed before leaving his room to go to the phone. The last time someone called him, he was sure it was one of his former friends. This time he wasn't so sure; after all, with Kevin and Jonny acting so strange, it very well could be Nazz calling to ask for his hand in marriage, or a cop calling him to tell him that the Kankers had turned themselves in for being total creeps. Eddy picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Eddy asked quickly, hoping to finish the conversation quickly. There was quiet on the other end for a second before someone finally spoke up.

"Thank God you picked up the phone, I thought you might assume it was me and just hang up," Edd answered hastily, knowing that Eddy could hang up as soon as he learned it was him. Eddy let out a little sigh.

"Thank God you spoke up so that I knew to hang up," Eddy answered before getting into the motions of hanging up.

"Wait!" Edd yelled into the phone, causing Eddy to bring the phone back up to his ear.

"Fine, you know what? Go ahead and tell me what you have to say; just get it over with so I can hang up," Eddy said harshly.

"Okay, just don't hang up until I've finished talking, okay?" Edd asked, wanting assurance that Eddy would hang up and let him ramble into the receiver with no one listening. Eddy sucked his teeth, and Edd took that as a yes. "I may not know why you've suddenly stopped talking to Ed or I, or even refused to let us anywhere near you, but I still saw it fit to inform you that the plan seems to have worked," Edd began. Eddy's face twisted into confusion. "Sarah, you see, is treating Ed and I with the utmost respect, and even watched a monster movie with us. You should've seen it, Eddy... Sarah and Ed were getting along like a brother and sister should. She was giggling, and acting sweet, kind, and generous... it was so much unlike her it was unbelievable," Edd explained further. Eddy's confusion morphed into understanding. That had to be why Kevin was acting so strange; perhaps the kindness the Eds had shown toward him by breaking him out truly had gotten to him and caused him to realize what a nutcase he had been.

Jonny's strange behavior was due to Eddy's own actions, but it still didn't change the fact that perhaps a metamorphosis was occurring in some of the other kids. The change that the Ed's had been looking for. "Are you... are you for real?" Eddy asked; although it made sense, it was still a little too good to be true. Sarah, a little girl who was the biggest brat on the face of the Earth was now treating Ed with respect and being nice to Ed and Edd?

"I'm being as real with you as I could ever be," Edd answered.

"That's... well, great news, I guess. I'm happy for you guys," Eddy said back as he leaned against the wall.

"Come now, it doesn't have to be a happy story for just Ed and I. Look, whatever has caused this rift between us doesn't matter. I won't even bring it up, whatever it is. I just want you to be able to enjoy not having to worry about Sarah anymore... the others we'll have to work on, I suppose, but-"

"Actually," Eddy interrupted, taking Edd off guard, "We might've actually gotten through to that sad sack, Kevin, too. He came up to me today and was trying to apologize and everything. Hell, I even yelled at him and berated him, and the guy still held strong like he was serious," Eddy relayed. Eddy couldn't see it, of course, but Edd was grinning with joy at the news.

"That's excellent news, Eddy! See, I told you this plan would lead to the others realizing that we're not all bad! Although I wish you hadn't yelled at him..." Edd answered, happy that Kevin was showing signs of change as well. "Now all we have to worry about is Ed, you, and I..." Edd added, remembering that they were still broken apart due to something Edd didn't even understand. Eddy sighed. Kevin, Sarah, and Jonny all changing for the better. It was what he had wanted, dreamed of. Sure, he enjoyed teasing Kevin and Sarah, and he loved picking on Jonny, but he'd like them more as allies or even as friends than enemies. Especially since all three of them could kick his ass. But even then, he still couldn't bring himself to admit that he wanted to be friends again with Ed and Edd. How could he? The main reason he had cut himself off with them was because of the need to protect them from the Kankers, and that was still true. But then there was the fact that he knew they would never be able to look at him straight again if they learned he had willing had sex with the Kankers, and on more than one occasion as well. Not to mention the fact that they had even seen it fit to rape him.

"Yeah, well don't trouble that sock-hatted head of yours, Double D. No need to worry, cause I'll stay out of your way while you and Ed get all friendly with everybody," Eddy answered sarcastically, which took Edd by surprise.

"What are you talking about? Isn't this what you wanted, to end our suffering?" Edd asked, Eddy's motives confusing him to no end.

"It's what I want for you two... I just don't want it... listen, you wouldn't understand, and I'll leave it at that," Eddy replied.

"Eddy, please just tell me what's wrong? Did something happen that I'm unaware of? Is it your parents? Is it one of the kids? Or is it something Ed or I did?" Edd questioned in quick succession. He wanted answers. Eddy was his best friend, and he was sick of him hiding things from him and refusing to talk to him about anything. This was going to end now.

"The only thing that's wrong is the fact that you won't stop nagging me about every damn thing!" Eddy shot back.

"You know I just want to help. Ed and I miss you," Edd said pleadingly.

"I don't need help... all you need to know is that we can't be friends," Eddy answered back, although Edd could tell by Eddy's tone that it pained him greatly to. "Good... good luck, Double D," Eddy whispered in a tortured voice before hanging up. Eddy lazily tossed the phone back on the base and then walked back groggily to his room. He suddenly felt tired now. For real.

* * *

Kevin sat patiently on the sidewalk in the cul-de-sac. He was waiting. He looked down at his watch. The little hand was pointing at the nine while the big hand was pointing at the ten. It was early in the morning, and Kevin intended to put this day to good use. He knew that his parents would be back that day, and that he would probably catch hell for being out of his room, so he had to act fast to make sure he held up his part of the plan. He knew he had to catch one of the Eds when they came outside, and he had chosen to place himself outside of Edd's; after all, he actually did get along with Edd on some occasions, usually when no one popular was looking. Kevin craned his head to see that he was lucky, and that Edd was exiting his house. Kevin turned back around sighed, trying to gather himself for the coming conversation.

Edd stepped outside of his house and began to walked down his lawn toward the sidewalk, intent on visiting Ed's house to check on him and see if Sarah was still treating him well. He noticed Kevin sitting outside of his house on the sidewalk. Although he and Kevin were naturally enemies, due to the relationship between Kevin and Eddy, from what Eddy had said, Kevin had started to feel remorse for his actions. Edd felt that this might be the perfect opportunity to seal the deal with Kevin and gain his acceptance as well.

"Greetings, Kevin!" Edd called out as he crossed his yard. Kevin turned his head around just enough to see Edd walking toward him.

"What's up, Double D?" Kevin asked coolly.

"Well, nothing very exciting, I suppose, although I am going over Ed's to spend the day with him," Edd answered politely.

"Sounds cool, I guess... well... hey, there was actually something I wanted to talk to you about," Kevin said as he stood up.

"Yes?"

"Well uh... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for anything I did to you guys..." Kevin said, a streak of shame visible on his face. "I started to think about all the shit I put you guys through, especially after you guys went through the trouble of breaking me out of my house... and I realized that some of it, if not all of it, was uncalled for," Kevin added before looking up at Edd. Edd smiled gently.

"It's... well, this is quite surprising, Kevin... I won't lie... but I accept your apology. And let me be the first to apologize for anything we did that caused you any discomfort or harm," Edd said enthusiastically. Kevin nodded before smiling sadly. He didn't have much luck with Eddy, but it was clear that Edd was far more easy to fool with good manners and sorrow.

"Hey, I say no hard feelings between us anymore, you know?" Kevin replied before tucking his hands in his pockets. "I know this might seem spontaneous and all... but it actually took a lot of thinking to get to this point. Years worth, actually," Kevin added.

"Indeed... and I feel that I should admit that I sort of knew this was coming... Eddy told me that you tried to approach him yesterday with the same idea of apologizing, although, from what I hear, he was less than receptive," Edd explained, although he knew that was probably putting it lightly.

"Heh, yeah," Kevin answered in remembrance. "But hey, I might've been enemies with the guy for all these years, but I know Eddy, and it might take some time for the guy to get around to understanding that I want the bullshit to stop," Kevin explained further.

"I'm glad you do, Kevin," Edd replied, feeling like this was unreal. Two of their worst enemies were suddenly turning over a new leaf, and it felt like he might be going crazy or something. This is the stuff of dreams.

"Anyway, I know this might seem a little... well... personal, but I heard that something was going on between you and Eddy. Is that true?" Kevin asked innocently. Edd was surprised that Kevin knew about that, but he figured since he and Ed had gone around asking for help that perhaps Jonny or Jimmy told Kevin at some point.

"Well, you heard right... I don't know what's wrong with him, but Eddy refuses to talk to Ed or I for more than a few seconds. Lord knows I was lucky to get even a few moments with him yesterday on the phone," Edd explained, although it was in a slightly upbeat tone. After all, Edd knew that it was only a matter of time for Eddy to come around, accept Kevin's apology, and then the three of them could finally live in peace with the rest of the kids. Eddy couldn't keep up this self-imposed solitude forever, could he?

"I'm sorry to hear that, man. I hope that he gets off his high horse and decides to join the rest of us at some point..." Kevin answered before shrugging. "But I guess good things take time, ya know? Anyway, I gotta get going. Tell your friend Ed that you guys can hang with me any time, alright?" Kevin added.

"You can rest assured that I will, Kevin! Now have a great day!" Edd replied as he beamed. Kevin nodded in his direction before marching off toward his house. Edd was so happy that Kevin had come around just as Sarah did, and nearly at the same time too; it was as if some outside force was watching over him and his friends and was finally giving them the peace they deserved. In the back of his mind, however, there was something nagging at him that something wasn't right about all this. That it somehow felt like there was something more than just Kevin and Sarah wanting to turn over a new leaf. He tried to shoo it away, to make it shut up, but he knew he'd have to deal with it; it only made sense that he'd question it, especially after all the years of them being enemies. Edd continued on his journey to see Ed, thoughts still swirling around in his head.

* * *

"I feel like scrubbing my tongue," Sarah complained harshly as she leaned against a tree. Sarah, Kevin, and Jonny were all gathered out by the creek, and decided to talk amongst themselves of their experiences with the Eds. "I hope we don't have to keep up this nice crap long, because being nice to Ed is like eating from the trash can."

"You got that right," Kevin answered before taking a swig from an energy drink he had with him. "I mean, first I had to put up with that little short freak telling me off and shit, and then I had to act like a total fucking chump with Double D. It made me want to tear my fucking eyes out," Kevin exclaimed harshly.

"Well, it wasn't exactly easy going up to Eddy and telling him that Plank wasn't real and all this other fake stuff I had to tell him..." Jonny chimed in before crossing his arms, still steamed that he had to put down Plank like that. He was still filled with sorrow about driving Plank off, and having to stand in front of the one that caused it in the first place filled him with anger.

"But... you know what? I can see this plan panning out... I can stomach being nice to those twats just a little longer. Seeing their oblivious little dopey smiles is gonna make the payoff that much sweeter," Kevin said before shaking the can of energy drink to check if it was empty. Seeing that no more of the sweet nectar resided inside, he tossed it near the creek.

"Yeah, you're right, I guess... and at least it's funny seeing how stupid the Eds are. I mean, I knew fooling Ed would be easy, but I thought that mister know-it-all would be a lot harder to trick," Sarah answered, her mood brightening a little. The three of them turned their attention behind them when they heard someone approaching them; it was Jimmy.

"What's up, fluffy?" Kevin greeted, feeling in a better mood.

"Hello, Kevin, Sarah, Jonny," Jimmy greeted as he looked at each of them. "I just wanted to check on how everything went with the Eds."

"To put it lightly, they're falling for it like the saps they are," Kevin responded.

"Excellent!" Jimmy answered. "Wait a minute... aren't your parents home Kevin? Aren't you going to get in trouble if you're not at home?"

"Don't sweat it, I weaseled my way out of it. I just told them that since I've pretty much stayed cooped up in that house the whole time they were gone, could I at least go help my friends with some 'charity work'. Can guess how that turned out?" Kevin asked rhetorically, drawing a little snicker out of Jimmy.

"I think I can," Jimmy replied, a little surprised at the outcome. "Anyway, you guys, especially you two-" Jimmy motioned toward Sarah and Kevin "-should get back to the Eds. We've got to keep this charade up long enough to gain their trust... and then we can move on to part two," Jimmy explained as the other three nodded.

"So what, am I free to do whatever?" Jonny asked as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah, I don't think the Eds thought of you as much as a threat anyway... just stay close by in case we do need you, though," Jimmy responded, and Jonny nodded quickly. "I know you guys probably wanted a break from the Eds, but we honestly have no choice but to keep it up as much as possible, especially with the threat of angering you-know-who." The others shuddered at the thought of incurring the wrath of their three new "leaders".

"I guess you're right... I just wish we didn't have to listen to those pig-faces," Sarah complained. "And listen, I was thinking that we're ready to bring Ed and Double D into our group. I think I fooled them good enough that they'll come hang out with us."

"Maybe... okay, I guess it's fine, but just be careful about it. Remember that we've still got Eddy to worry about, okay?" Jimmy replied.

"I'll keep it in mind," Sarah answered as the four of them began to make their way back to the cul-de-sac.

* * *

"Woosh!" Ed yelled as he held his model rocket in his hand and ran around his backyard. He was laughing and giggling as he ran full speed in circles, making booster rocket noises and sputtering sounds. "Did you just see me dodge that asteroid, Double D?" Ed called out to Edd, who was watching in amusement from a distance.

"Yes, Ed, but look out for that alien abduction craft! It's coming straight for you!" Edd called back before tossing a bottle of soda toward him

"Oh no, look out, Captain Constantine, we have to do a double trop, flip and flop!" Ed informed the captain of the ship before doing a complicated looking maneuver with the model rocket, which managed to make it dodge the incoming bottle. "The flip and flop was a success men! Increase speed on the port bow!" Ed said before happily running around the yard. Edd giggling to himself as he watched Ed continue to run around the yard. Edd turned around when he heard someone entering Ed's house.

"Hold on, Ed, I'll be right back! I'm just going to check if your sister's home," Edd called out to Ed, who made a beeping noise in response. Edd entered Ed's house and then made his way to the front to find out if it was Sarah who had entered the house. Edd went into Ed's kitchen to find Sarah opening a bottle of water and drinking from it.

"Oh, hello, Sarah, what brings you back so early?" Edd asked, remembering that Sarah had went off with Kevin earlier, although that seemed odd considering the fact that Sarah had shown extreme disdain for Kevin in the past. Sarah finished swallowing the water and gave off a radiant little smile.

"I just needed to stop by to get something to drink. It gets hot out there when you're having fun, ya know?" Sarah replied cheerfully before putting the water in the fridge for save keeping. She turned back to Edd and seemed to start contemplating something before finally speaking up. "Hey, I've got a good idea, you wanna hear it?" Sarah asked in an innocent tone.

"Uh... sure, what is it?" Edd asked, unsure of what this idea could possibly be.

"Well... I was thinking now that we're... well... on good terms now, you and Ed should come hang out with us!" Sarah said as she twisted a lock of hair in her finger. Edd smiled widely at the suggestion; this is what he had hoped for. First it was just the kids being kind to them, and now they were being invited to hang out with them. It was all going according to plan.

"That's a wonderful idea, Sarah. Wait a moment, and I'll go fetch Ed, and then we'll accompany you and the others," Edd said quickly, filled with a sudden energy that overcame him. He rushed outside to find Ed trying to stuff the model rocket into a hole in his fence.

"Come on, Constantine, you have to enter the hanger to refuel!" Ed said as he tried to force the rocket through. Edd approached him from behind and watched him for a moment in amusement before deciding to stop him.

"Oh, Ed, I think the captain needs a break," Edd suggested as he laid a hand on Ed's arm.

"Yeah, the ship can just drift off into the cold and terrifying darkness of space with no fuel. Great idea, Double D!" Ed said before tossing the ship aside and saluting Edd.

"Indeed... well, Ed, the reason I suggested a break for the captain was because Sarah just invited us along to hang out with her and the others!" Edd exclaimed. Ed smiled brightly.

"Really? I should bring the captain along to celebrate this!" Ed replied as he reached down for the model rocket. Edd grabbed Ed's arm to stop.

"Hold on, Ed, I don't think bringing the captain along is a good idea... we really need to make a good impression here to seal the deal for us," Edd explained as Ed nodded slowly, although a bit sadly.

"Ah, okay... I guess the captain can stay docked here," Ed commented as he nudged the rocket ship with his foot. "But at least I've got my baby sister to hang out with now! She can be the new captain!" Ed proclaimed as he followed Edd back inside.

"That's the spirit, Ed! Now let's go off to new adventures, shall we?" Edd suggested as Ed bounced happily along behind him.

* * *

"And this is how the money brokers of my old country would battle the possessed yacks of the highlands!" Rolf informed Nazz before tackling an old wooden barrel that sat in his backyard.

"Why are you showing me this again, dude?" Nazz asked, weirded out, as Rolf rolled around on the ground wrestling the barrel. Rolf threw the barrel aside and stood up.

"Rolf wishes to show the Nazz-girl how to fight in case those three good-for-nothing Kanker-girls rear their ogre-like heads once again," Rolf explained as he dusted off his hands.

"Well, I'm glad you want to teach me how to fight, but I don't think it will help that much... besides I haven't even seen those three around in a while. They might actually be leaving us alone, for once," Nazz commented as she crossed her arms.

"Perhaps, but it pays well for one to be ever-vigilant in the face of evil," Rolf explained as he laid a hand Nazz's shoulder.

"I guess so, but I think calling them 'evil' is going a little too far," Nazz responded, although deep down inside she agreed with Rolf. Hell, she'd go even further and call them monsters. Rolf suddenly took his arm from Nazz's shoulder and turned around when he heard the sounds of the others playing.

"Maybe we shall put your training off for a later date, as it seems the others are making merriment in the cul-de-sac. Shall we join them?" Rolf asked as he turned back to Nazz.

"Totally, it will be a nice break from watching you roll around on the ground beating up barrels," Nazz replied before giggling to herself. She followed Rolf around his house and to the front. They both stopped in their tracks at the sidewalk when they spotted their friends. But it wasn't their friends that surprised them, but who was with them. They were shocked to see that with Kevin, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny were Ed and Edd. Rolf and Nazz looked at each other to make sure that they both weren't seeing things.

"Is it just Rolf, or are the two Ed-boys making merriment with Kevin and the others?" Rolf asked, still in disbelief.

"I don't know... let's go see what's going on," Nazz suggested before the two the them advanced toward the group of kids.

"So I managed to dig up this old thing," Kevin began as he patted the side of a rusty, dirty bike that he was holding upright by the handlebars. "I found it lying in the junkyard, and so I brought it back here. I just figured since I lost my motorcycle, this bike would have to do for now."

"Not that I want to put a damper on this event, but I hope you've tested it to see if it's safe before riding," Edd suggested.

"Don't worry about that, I'm gonna clean this baby up, replace any missing or bad parts, and then I'll be cruising around like I used to... you know, except a lot slower," Kevin responded as he rubbed out a dirty spot on the handle.

"I can help clean it up! I've got like one million sponges!" Ed proclaimed, causing everyone to giggle. "Sponges are nothing to laugh at, my fine feathered friends!"

"Hey, what's going on, guys?" Nazz asked as she and Rolf joined the group.

"Nothing much, I'm just showing everyone this bike I found at the junkyard," Kevin answered as he popped out the kickstand on the bike, allowing it to stand on it's own.

"Hey, I helped find it! I've got eyes like a bat!" Jonny exclaimed, feeling like Kevin was taking all the credit.

"Bats are blind, aren't they?" Jimmy asked.

"Well, actually, bats aren't actually blind, it'sjust an expression," Edd chimed in, hoping to correct the misinformation.

"Is it a funny expression?" Ed asked, confused.

"Anyway, I need a place to clean this thing up. Is that offer with the sponges still open, big dude?" Kevin asked as he looked over at Ed.

"You betcha!" Ed responded, prompting Ed to help Kevin haul the bike to his house.

"I wanna help!" Sarah exclaimed before running after them, Jimmy and Jonny close behind.

"Oh dear, I suppose I'll go help too," Edd muttered before walking after them, but then turned around. "Oh, Nazz, Rolf, aren't you going to join us?" Edd asked as he smiled happily.

"Yeah, dude, but me and Rolf are kind of confused..." Nazz trailed off.

"About what?" Edd asked.

"Well... how should I put this..." Nazz wondered aloud. "Okay, well when did you and Ed start hanging out with Kevin and the others?" Nazz asked, although she wished she could find an easier way of putting. After all, she didn't think the Eds were losers like the others did, but the others wouldn't be caught dead hanging out the Eds normally, so the sight of them enjoying the Eds company was a strange one indeed.

"I don't fault you for asking... to tell the truth, it's a little weird for me as well. But you should've seen it, Nazz. The others have started to take a liking to me and Ed, and we're actually getting along for once! Isn't it grand?" Edd relayed as Rolf and Nazz listened.

"Rolf sees now! The Ed-boys have joined the pack at last! Rolf never thought he would see the day," Rolf exclaimed before walking over to Edd and patting him on the shoulder. "Rolf welcomes the sock-headed Ed-boy to the group!"

"That's great news!" Nazz said before smiling. "I always knew you guys would all get along some day."

"Yes, it is great... but we should be catching up to Kevin and the others! They might need our help with that bike; it looked absolutely filthy!" Edd said jokingly before leading the way to Ed's house.

Eddy drew shut the curtains in his living room with a sad little smile on his face. He was happy to see that Ed and Edd were right; they had finally been accepted. But no matter how happy he was for them, it wouldn't change the fact that he couldn't join them. Who knows how the Kankers would react to him finally being accepted? They might tell everyone about what he had done with them just to spite him and knock him back down to loser status. Eddy was caught between a rock and a hard place, and he didn't know what to do. He felt bad about letting down Edd; Edd had begged him to join he and Ed in their happy ending, but he couldn't. Ed and Edd's happy ending might be right now, but Eddy's was farther down the road. Or maybe there wasn't one at all.


	13. I'll Be There

**Author's Note: **_Well, it's been a while, at least by my standards, since my last update, mostly thanks to the influx of new work from college. Regardless, here's chapter thirteen of the story; as usual, read and, if you can find the time, review._

* * *

"And after Rolf found that the fruit was past its heyday, he refused to hand the feathered-foul over to the fruit merchant, earning him the respect of his elders," Rolf explained as he sat on the fence in the lane, Nazz on one side and Edd on the other. Kevin was on his bike, which he had stopped in front of the three of them; all three of them listened with a mix of interest and confusion to Rolf's story. Nearby, Ed ran around chasing Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny in a game of tag.

"I don't get, so are chickens like money in your country or something?" Kevin asked, genuinely confused, causing Edd and Nazz to giggle.

"Rolf is afraid that you have confused chicken for the flints of stone that Rolf was talking about earlier. Rolf hopes that one of your age would know the difference between rock and foul, yes?" Rolf teased, causing Nazz and Edd to giggle further.

"Well, actually, Rolf, I will admit that your method of telling stories can be a bit... confusing," Edd said, hoping to spare Kevin further embarrassment at the hands of Rolf.

"Yeah, what he said," Kevin added quickly.

"You can't catch me!" Jonny called back to Ed as he ran down the lane, Ed close behind.

"I'm fast like a cat and heavy like a hippo!" Ed shouted before leaping toward Jonny but falling short and hitting the ground, allowing Jonny enough time to escape.

"Quick, hide while he's down, Jimmy!" Sarah said happily before pulling Jimmy behind a dumpster. Ed sat up and spat out some dirt before climbing to his feet and looking around for his prey.

"Roar!" Ed yelled before tackling a trash can, revealing Jonny to be hiding inside. Ed quickly tapped Jonny on the head with his hand. "I gotcha, Jonny!" Ed said in triumph before standing up and throwing his arms in the air.

"Nice one, Ed! But you better start running, because I'm a tag-maniac!" Jonny warned before jumping to his feet.

"Yo, guys, get over here really quick, I want to talk to you guys about something!" Kevin called out to Jonny, Ed, Sarah, and Jimmy.

"Rats! Well, I guess you'll have to see my mad tag skills some other time," Jonny commented as the four of them joined Kevin, Rolf, Nazz, and Edd at the fence.

"I hope you know that you interrupted an awesome game of tag, mister," Jimmy mocked lightheartedly.

"Sorry about that, but I just wanted to make an announcement," Kevin replied before straightening himself up on his bike. "It's a little spur of the moment, but I think everyone here will be totally into it: I'm throwing a party and I wanted to see if any of you guys wanted to join in on the fun," Kevin announced to the group of kids.

"A party?" Nazz asked, confused. "What's the occasion?"

"An occasion? Well, I just wanted an excuse to hang out, but how about we dedicate this party to the Eds, our new friends!" Kevin said as he looked over at Ed and Edd, who were both beaming.

"A party? Dedicated to us? Oh my," Edd said before blushing.

"Ed party!" Ed cried out before jumping for joy. "Ed party at Kevin's house!"

"Actually, I think it would be cooler if we spruced up that old abandoned home down the street and held the party there," Kevin suggested. Edd cringed at the thought; that old house had a bad memory for the Eds, even if it was a while ago. Even then, he knew he couldn't let one bad memory hold up a party, especially one dedicated partly to himself.

"That house _still_ gives me the creeps..." Jimmy whispered aloud. "But I'm _still_ in!"

"Yeah, me too!" Sarah said excitedly.

"If there's a party, count this bald guy in!" Jonny chimed in.

"Hey, I'll go too, dude. Someone has to keep you guys in line," Nazz teased.

"Rolf will join in on the partying! Perhaps Victor will as well?" Rolf suggested.

"Well, Ed and I will certainly be attending; we wouldn't want to miss a party in our honor, would we?" Edd said as he looked over at Ed.

"No way! We're gonna party till our pants drop!" Ed exclaimed.

"Awesome, I'm glad everyone's into it; but there's no way you're bringing that smelly goat, Rolf," Kevin said while smirking. He then turned his attention to Ed and Edd. "And hey, I know he's not around right now, but tell Eddy he can come too. If he's feeling up to it, that is," Kevin informed them.

"Well, I'll certainly try," Edd answered.

"Alright, then it's settled. And if anyone wants to pitch in to get food, drinks, and entertainment, that'll be awesome as well," Kevin said. "And to be clear, the party is gonna be tomorrow night, so try to get anything you're gonna bring before then," Kevin added as everyone listened and then nodded. "Alright, I gotta head home to get everything set up, so I guess I'll see everyone at the party," Kevin said before taking the kickstand off and took off down the lane.

"Bye, Kevin!" Nazz called out after the speeding jock.

"Oh boy, I can't wait to party!" Jonny said enthusiastically.

"I know, right?" Jimmy responded.

"Come on, Jimmy, we've got to go get ready and figure out what we're gonna bring," Sarah said before grabbing hold of Jimmy's hand and leading him down the lane.

"Hey, wait up!" Jonny called after them before running off.

"Rolf should also head home and prepare for the festivities," Rolf said before hopping off the fence.

"You're still gonna bring Victor, right?" Ed asked, causing Rolf to laugh.

"We shall see, single-browed Ed-boy," Rolf said before beginning to walk off.

"I should probably help Rolf out; who knows what kind of weird stuff he'll try to bring. I guess I'll see you two dudes at the party," Nazz said before flashing them a smile and catching up to Rolf.

"Oh boy, Double D! First everyone's nice to us, and then we get to party!" Ed shouted, barely being able to contain his excitement. "This is the best week ever!"

"I'm in full agreement, Ed. Let's just hope we can provide the same happiness to Eddy," Edd said as worked over in his head how exactly he was going to convince Eddy to come to the party. It was obvious Eddy was dead set on having little to no contact with anyone, so he knew it would be quite the battle to drag Eddy out of the house and to the party.

* * *

"Stupid TV," Eddy muttered as he tried to get it in working order. The thing had been on the fritz for quite some time, and Eddy was determined to fix it. After all, he needed its mind numbing entertainment to get through the day. He stopped when a sudden knocking sounded at his door. Eddy stood up from the television and turned to his door. "Shit, I bet ten bucks it's sock head coming to beg to me to come again," Eddy muttered before going over to the door. "Do I even have to ask who it is?" Eddy called through the door.

"We're just a couple of average guys looking for a couple of average ladies!" Ed called through the door. Edd couldn't help but stare at Ed a second before regaining his composure.

"Listen, Eddy, I know that this whole routine is getting rather tiring, but this time is different!" Edd explained through the door to Eddy.

"Oh yeah? How's that?" Eddy asked, ready for anything.

"Because-"

"There's an Ed party!" Ed exclaimed, interrupting Edd. "Everyone's throwing an entire party about us!" Ed added as he pranced around outside of Eddy's door.

"Well put, Ed," Edd commented as Eddy let the news sink in.

"You gotta be kidding me..." Eddy muttered to himself. "You really expect me to believe that the kids go from hating us to throwing us parties in just a few days? Get real!" Eddy called out, obviously not buying it.

"Eddy, I can see how could think that, but it's true!" Edd shot back. "Kevin's throwing a party for us at that old house down the street, and he even said that you're invited!" Eddy scoffed at the thought; Kevin inviting him to a party? It did make sense, considering recent events, but he knew he couldn't go no matter how much he wanted.

"Fuck off!" Eddy yelled through the door.

"Please, Eddy, this is our chance! After this party, we're pretty much guaranteed a hurt free life in the cul-de-sac!" Edd pleaded through the door.

"Just... just go..." Eddy said, beginning to lose hope that his two former friends would ever leave him alone.

"I just don't get it, Eddy. Why won't you go?" Edd asked.

"I don't know..." Eddy said as he turned away from the door. Every fiber of his being was begging him to go. This is what he had always wanted: to be accepted by everyone. He had tried so hard to be the cool guy on so many occasions, to be sexy, suave, daring, and exciting. He had failed every time. This was it, however; this was that one occasion where he and his friends finally succeeded in gaining the friendship of everyone. Here he was, moping around in his house, while his friends beg him to join them in the dreamland they had always fought for. Eddy laid his hand against the door. He didn't know what to say or what to do. Part of him still couldn't trust the kids, but then there was no proof that they were up to no good; in fact, it seemed that they were the ones trying their best to put the past behind them and become friends with the Eds. Eddy was beginning to realize that maybe he was now the bad guy here. He was the one was letting the past between him and the rest of the kids get in the way of a happy life. His mind then wandered to the Kankers. They were the reason he had isolated himself in the first place. Their wicked deceit and trickery had led to this life of exile. They were controlling him, and they weren't even there most of the time.

Eddy scrunched up his face. He had had enough of the bullshit. Kankers or no Kankers, he couldn't let them keep him from his friends any longer. Eddy sighed before turning back to the door. "Eddy?" Ed asked through the door, concerned by his silence.

"I'll be there, guys," Eddy answered weakly but loud enough for Ed and Edd to hear, surprisingly drained of strength from the fight inside of his head.

* * *

"Just hurry it up, Jonny, we don't have all day," Sarah complained as she and Jimmy followed Jonny around, who was pushing a shopping cart in the grocery store. They had been in the store for a good two hours after they had left Kevin and the others, and Jonny had chosen to go down every single aisle while searching for things to bring to the party.

"Hey, I just don't want to miss anything we might need," Jonny shot back as he stopped to examine some potato chips. Jimmy sighed. It was interesting how well they all got along while with the Eds, but, as soon as they were no longer required to act like everything was fine, they were all at each others throats. Jimmy found it funny that he and Sarah could pretend that nothing was wrong earlier when playing with Ed, but in the saddest kind of way. Jimmy felt better with Sarah when they were pretending to still be friends than when they were together now with no need for deceit.

"We really don't _need_ anything, fat head. Just get some stuff to make the party last a little while," Sarah responded angrily, on the verge of tearing Jonny's head off.

"Fine," Jonny answered in a slightly peeved tone.

"But we still need to get some drinks, don't forget about that," Jimmy said, not wanting them to miss out on something they might actually need.

"Well, I guess we do need that..." Sarah muttered as they followed Jonny around the aisles.

"So..." Sarah began, wanting to start a conversation with Jimmy. "How do you think Kevin is gonna break it to Ed and Double D?" Sarah asked. "And fish face, too, if he's coming," Sarah added, remembering the possibility of Eddy showing up.

"I'm not sure... I just hope it won't scare off the Eds from coming. We've also gotta remember that Nazz and Rolf are there, but it might actually be better if they didn't show up," Jimmy explained aloud as they stopped with Jonny in the drink aisle.

"Yeah, I just hope everything goes right. We've gotten way too far for anything to go wrong," Sarah answered before turning her attention to Jonny, who couldn't seem to make up his mind on which soda to take. "Oh, come on, Jonny, can't you even do something simple?" Sarah asked furiously.

"I'm sorry, Plank usually handles these types of things!" Jonny answered nervously.

"Plank this, Plank that..." Sarah muttered before walking over to Jonny to help him pick out a soda. Jimmy watched with slight amusement, but also with some sorrow. How funny that they were working together when none of them even got along.

* * *

"Do you think I should wear this, or this?" Nazz asked Rolf as she held up two separate shirts for him to look at; one red and blue. The two of them were in Rolf's living room, where they had been hanging out after Rolf had prepared a few special dishes from his home country for the party. Nazz had somehow convinced Rolf to sit down with her and look at clothes, although he was certainly starting to regret it now.

"Erm... uh..." Rolf struggled aloud as he looked back and forth between the shirts. "Perhaps this is a question better left for the sibling of the slower-than-a-broken-clock Ed-boy," Rolf stated.

"Well, normally I would ask Sarah about this stuff, but she's busy shopping with Jimmy and Jonny, so I figured maybe it would be something fun for us to do," Nazz explained as she sat the two shirts back into a pile of clothes she had brought over. A ding sounded from the kitchen, causing Nazz to turn around. "What was that?"

"Ah, it seems that Rolf's eggplant pie is ready!" Rolf said before standing up and heading for the kitchen.

"Eggplant pie?" Nazz wondered aloud. "Need some help with that?" Nazz asked before following Rolf into the kitchen.

"Very well, Nazz-girl, but Rolf must warn you, it is fiery to the touch," Rolf informed her before opening up his oven, which released a ton of smoke. Nazz coughed a few times before the smoke finally dissipated to reveal the eggplant pie. "Here, take these mittens to shield your delicate hands from the heat," Rolf said before handing Nazz a pair of oven mitts.

"Thanks," Nazz said before putting on the oven mitts leaning over to grab the pie.

"Rolf will fetch the dip for his fried tomatoes on a stick, as it should be ripe and ready for mixing now," Rolf stated before going off into his back yard. Nazz took the pie out of the oven and set it up on the counter before shutting the oven. She took off the oven mitts and set them on the counter next to the pie. She took a whiff of the strange pie, and found that the smell was delightful.

"Weird or not, this pie smells really good," Nazz said to herself. Rolf returned to the kitchen with a big bucket of a creamy substance and a huge mixer. "That's the dip?" Nazz asked in surprise.

"Yes, and a delightful dip it shall be after Rolf has mixed it to perfection," Rolf answered before setting the bucket on the floor and taking hold of the mixer.

"Hold on, Rolf, mind if I do it?" Nazz asked, much to Rolf's delight.

"Of course not, Nazz-girl. Rolf is pleased that one such as yourself wishes to see how Rolf prepares the delicacies of his old country," Rolf responded before stepping back and letting Nazz take hold off the mixer. She began to try to move it around in a circular motion, but was surprised at how thick the dip was. Rolf watched in amusement at the difficulty Nazz was having.

"A little help, dude?" Nazz asked as she struggled with the mixer.

"Of course, let Rolf show you how it's done," Rolf said before stepping up behind Nazz and laying his hands on hers. She couldn't help but blush as Rolf showed her the best way to mix the dip. "See, now the dip is but soft mud in your hands," Rolf said as he continued to help Nazz stir around the dip. Nazz sneaked a look up at Rolf, who was deep in concentration. Rolf noticed that she was staring at him, and he stopped turning the mixer. The two of them stared at each other for a few moments before Rolf finally got the nerve to speak up. "Rolf believes you now have the hang of it, Nazz-girl," Rolf said quickly before stepping away, feeling the situation becoming awkward.

"Uh, yeah, you're right, I think I got it," Nazz said before giving him a little smile. Rolf rubbed the back of his head nervously before returning her smile.

"Yes... well, Rolf must store the pie in the fridge for safe keeping," Rolf answered before making his way over to the pie, grabbing it, and walking over to the fridge. Rolf didn't know what to make of what just happened; he had no idea why Nazz was acting so strange. In fact, he found it strange that she had been spending so much time around him lately. Sure, they were really good friends, but she was always by his side now. Many times Rolf would want to call on the other Urban Rangers for duties, but Nazz would interrupt him with offerings of hanging out, and he couldn't say no to a good friend. Something was up with Nazz, and it was making him feel very uncomfortable. Rolf had a small feeling that he knew what was really going on, but he pushed it out of his head. Nazz was probably just trying to be a good friend and neighbor to him, and that was it.

* * *

"I should go dressed as a clown! I would be the coolest guy at the party!" Ed exclaimed as he danced around in the middle of Edd's room, which was as neatly organized as ever. Edd was going through his closet, trying to find the best outfit to wear for the party.

"Yes, I'm sure you'd be the life of the party," Edd answered before laughing lightly. "Although, if your dancing is any indication, I'd say a ballerina would be much more fitting," Edd teased. Ed froze in the middle of the room and looked over at Edd.

"You really think I'm pretty enough to be one, Double D?" Ed asked before putting on a wide grin.

"Definitely," Edd responded before laughing, Ed joining in as he fell down on his back. Ed sat up and wiped a tear out of his eye.

"I'm just happy that Eddy's coming!" Ed stated before getting to his feet.

"Believe me, I am too, Ed. I still do wish Eddy would come to see us, but he did say that he'd show up at the party, so I suppose that's good enough for now," Edd said as he pulled some clothes aside and moved to a different part of his closet. Edd jumped at the sudden sound of his doorbell. "Now who could that be?"

"It could be Eddy!" Ed exclaimed, hoping that their friend came around and decided to leave his home.

"Maybe... but let's not get too excited," Edd answered before leaving his closet and starting for his door. Ed followed him out of his room, and the two of them made their way down the stairs and to Edd's front door. Edd opened it to reveal Kevin, much to their surprise. "Hello, Kevin. What brings you here today?" Edd asked.

"Hey, Double D, Ed," Kevin greeted before clearing his throat. "I came over to talk to you guys about something. Mind if I come in?" Kevin asked quickly, a bit of nervousness evident in his voice.

"Sure... of course, come right in," Edd said as he motioned for Kevin to step inside. Edd closed the door behind him, and then he and Ed turned their attention to the nervous jock. "Is something wrong?" Edd asked, concerned about Kevin's silence and nervous demeanor.

"Yeah... well... I don't know..." Kevin stuttered as he looked at Ed and Edd; it seemed that he was very reluctant to share with them whatever news he had to bring.

"Don't tell me that barbarians have taken over the abandoned house!" Ed exclaimed.

"Ed, please," Edd replied, hoping to calm Ed's overactive imagination.

"Alright, well I guess the longer I put off telling you guys the worse this news is gonna bother me," Kevin said before gathering the courage to speak. "I don't know how, I don't when, and I don't know why, but somehow the Kankers heard about the party I was throwing for you guys," Kevin said quickly, wanting to get the news out fast like tearing off a scab. Ed and Edd's expressions turned to ones of panic.

"Oh my... are you sure? How do you know that they know about the party?" Edd asked quickly.

"They caught me when I was going down to the abandoned house to check it out. You know, just doing some pre-party planning," Kevin began. "Anyway, those three happened to be down there, and they told me that they heard we were all having a party at the house," Kevin explained further. He paused for a second, as if even more nervous about the next part.

"And?" Edd asked, although he didn't know if he wanted to find out what happened next.

"Well... the Kankers said they wanted to come," Kevin finally said.

"But they'll ruin our Ed party!" Ed whined.

"This can't be happening..." Edd moaned before turning around. They hadn't bumped into the Kankers since their encounter with them in the woods, and he certainly wasn't ready to see them again. Edd would rather not have to spend an entire night around them; he could imagine, with great fear, him having to duck and hide the entire party. It would literally suck the enjoyment out of the whole affair. He turned back to Kevin. "Kevin, I'm not so sure we'll be able to come if the Kankers show up... who knows what havoc they'll wreck. I mean, even if Ed, Eddy, and I were not to show up, they probably would still harass you and the others," Edd said as he looked at Kevin fearfully.

"I know, I know... but they did promise that they weren't going to cause any trouble," Kevin said before shrugging and giving a nervous smile.

"Listen, I like to see the good side of people, and I'd love to believe that the Kankers were being sincere, but they've lied and deceived us so many times in the past," Edd explained as he recalled his past experiences with the Kankers. "They haven't exactly laid a good foundation of trust."

"And trust is the foundation of a good house!" Ed added, Edd having to look at Ed in surprise; after all, that actually made sense.

"Yeah... I know... but I really had this party planned out!" Kevin complained as he crossed his arms in anger. "I mean, can't you guys at least come for a little while? Look, I know the Kankers are a huge pain in the ass, but I promise that if those three try anything, we're out of there," Kevin pleaded as he looked at the two fear-ridden teens. Edd had to mull it over in his head; after all, he knew that he could trust Kevin now, but he still wasn't sure that Kevin could control the situation if the Kankers did decide to get crazy. He also knew that, if Ed, Eddy, and he went, they'd be in great danger from the sisters. Edd hadn't been caught by them since the incident with Marie, and he feared that he wouldn't be able to escape if she caught him alone again. Edd was sure that the Kankers wouldn't try anything too dirty with the Eds with all of the other kids there, but the fear still shot throughout his entire being.

"I'm not sure..." Edd mumbled before turning around and stroking his chin. "Is there a working phone in the house?" Edd asked before turning to Kevin.

"No, there isn't... but we can always just go to a neighbor if something bad happens, or even run back to the cul-de-sac if we can't do that," Kevin suggested.

"I say we do it! Not even witches can ruin an Ed party!" Ed exclaimed before hopping to his feet. Edd still couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen; it wasn't just any feeling, it was instinct. Literally any time the Kankers were involved in something, there was always bad news to be had for someone. He knew that they couldn't be trusted. Even if the Kankers weren't up to any real trouble, just their mere presence was enough to set him on edge. Still, he knew that this was the moment that he and his friends had been waiting for, and he wasn't about to ruin it just because of a few misgivings about some bullies.

"So?" Kevin asked, growing a little impatient.

"I suppose we'll come," Edd finally answered as he turned back to Kevin. Kevin seemed relieved.

"Good. I already told Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny about the Kankers, and they said they'd still come. I still gotta tell Nazz and Rolf, though, so I guess I'll head over there now and break the news," Kevin explained, a nervous smile on his face.

"Okay, well as long as the others show up, I guess it won't be so bad," Edd answered, trying to calm his fears and doubts.

"Exactly. Anyway, you two take care, and don't worry too much about the Kankers," Kevin said before making his way to the door. Edd opened the door for him and then closed it behind him. He sighed as he turned to Ed; he stared at him for a moment, completely silent.

"Double D?" Ed asked, concerned about his friend's silence.

"Ed, are you sure you're okay with going to this party?" Edd asked.

"Yep!" Ed said happily.

"Well, if you are, then I am too," Edd replied as he patted Ed on the shoulder. "I suppose we should call Eddy and break this news to him..." Edd said as he walked toward the phone. He suddenly stopped half way there. "Actually... on second thought... I'll do it later. I should probably get back to picking out an outfit," Edd said quickly before turning around to face Ed. "Coming?"

"You betcha!" Ed answered before walking up the stairs with Edd, who was feeling a little ashamed right now. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn't let anything keep Eddy from coming to the party. Not even the Kankers.

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me," Nazz said in disbelief before taking a seat on Rolf's couch, feeling a little off balance. Rolf stood next to the couch as he and Nazz listened to Kevin, who had just broken the news to the two of them.

"The Kanker-girls wish to ruin our day of celebration... a travesty, I say!" Rolf declared as he slammed his fist into his palm.

"Listen, I know this seems really, really bad, but everyone else said they would still come, even if the Kankers do show up," Kevin explained to the two angry teens.

"But what's the point?" Nazz asked. "I mean, you guys both know me, I don't like to talk bad about people, but I would be stupid to think that the Kankers aren't up to something bad," Nazz explained as she crossed her arms.

"Nazz-girl is right, the Kanker-girls want nothing more than to torment our souls with their wicked ways," Rolf said with much fervor.

"I don't know... they did promise they wouldn't do anything," Kevin said.

"Right, because the Kankers are known for never breaking promises," Nazz said harshly.

"You guys are right... look, I'd love to go back in time and stop myself from bumping into them, but it wouldn't matter anyway. Even if I didn't give them permission to show up, they knew about the party somehow. They probably would've crashed it anyway, invite or no invite," Kevin explained. Kevin felt a little stupid trying to convince Nazz and Rolf to show up; after all, everything would be so much easier if they weren't there. Still, he knew it would seem really suspicious if he acted like he didn't care whether or not they showed up, and he still was holding on to the hope that Nazz and Rolf would understand everything when the time came.

"I guess you're right..." Nazz mumbled before trailing off.

"Perhaps we should hold strong, like a fortress, and go to the party. We should show the Kanker-girls that they do not fill us with fear," Rolf said in a determined tone.

"Yeah, that's a good way to put it, I guess. And like I told Ed and Double D, we can always just leave if they start acting up," Kevin added, trying to reassure them that everything was still fine.

"You know what? You guys are right. I'm sure I'm worrying about nothing; even if they try anything, it's not like we can't just leave like you said," Nazz said as she looked from Rolf to Kevin.

"That's good to hear. I just didn't want something stupid like this to ruin our night. Anyway, I gotta run; I still got a lot of crap to do, so I guess I'll catch you guys at the party," Kevin said quickly before turning to leave.

"Bye, Kevin!" Nazz called out.

"Good luck with the preparation!" Rolf said as Kevin walked out. Rolf and Nazz remained silent for a few moments as they let the information sink in. Rolf turned to Nazz. "Rolf senses that the Nazz-girl is still nervous about the party," Rolf said, wanting to break the silence.

"Yeah... well, so are you," Nazz shot back playfully. She knew that Rolf was right, however; she still couldn't shake the thought of her encounter with the Kankers out of her mind, and she feared that she might incur their wrath again at the party. She just hoped that she could play it safe, and she also hoped that Rolf would stay away from them as well. She couldn't bear the thought of them putting their hands on him.

* * *

Kevin looked around the main room of the abandoned house, which had been noticeably cleaned and spruced up. It wasn't exactly in the greatest condition; after all, the house was very old and only so much work could be done. Still, it was a definite improvement over what had once been. He was just thankful that the house still had working power and plumbing, although the power had taken a lot of work to get working. The only thing was, he hadn't done any of the work. He had three others to thank for that. He sat down on an old couch that sat near one of the walls and waited for them to come back. They had gone off into some random part of the house to do some work, and they had told him to wait in the main room. He was nervous, to say the least. Sure, everything had gone according to plan, but he just wished he didn't have to come alone to see them. He would be much more comfortable if Jimmy, Sarah, and Jonny were there with him. Hell, even just one of them would be enough for him.

Kevin snapped out of his thoughts when Lee entered the room from a door across from him and closed it shut behind her. She turned to him and then flashed him a devious smile before walking towards him. Kevin sucked in a breath of stale air, hoping to calm his nerves. "So, I'm guessing everything worked out seeing as how you decided to show up," Lee began as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah... of course. Everyone's still coming," Kevin answered nervously.

"Good... but are that farmer guy and the blonde chick still showing up?" Lee asked.

"It's Rolf and Nazz," Kevin answered, a little pissed that the Kankers still managed to never call anyone by their actual names.

"Whatever, just answer my question," Lee demanded, obviously angry that Kevin even bothered to correct her.

"Yeah, they're still going to come," Kevin replied."But there is one other thing that I gotta bring up..."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Lee asked.

"Well... everyone is really scared that you and your sisters are gonna try something... so you guys gotta chill during the party, alright?" Kevin asked as he stared over at Lee, who was listening intently.

"Don't worry about that, we have everything figured out," Lee answered. Kevin hated how vague she was being with her answer, but he figured he'd have to just accept it; trying to get her to give a straight answer would probably be a very bad idea. He suddenly noticed that a silence had fallen over the room. It unnerved Kevin, and he couldn't help but try to start some sort of conversation, even if it was with Lee Kanker.

"Uh... so... where are your sisters at?" Kevin asked, noticing their absence. Lee smiled evilly.

"Why do you ask?" Lee asked him.

"Oh... no reason... just... curious... yeah..." Kevin stuttered, Lee's creepy little smile making him nervous.

"Aw, don't worry, if you wanted to make a move on me, they won't be around to interrupt," Lee said slyly as Kevin's eyes widened. He almost wanted to throw up at the thought.

"Uh... I better get going," Kevin said quickly, wanting to vacate the premises as fast as possible and start running.

"Damn, pull your panties out of your ass, it was just a joke," Lee responded before laughing heartily. "But you better get going anyway; we still got a lot of shit to get done around here, and your punk ass will probably just get in the way," Lee explained as her laughter died down. Kevin just stared at her, as if he didn't understand what she meant. "That means beat it, idiot."

"Right, I'll get out of your way," Kevin answered before quickly making his way to the door, and slamming it behind him, Lee chuckling softly to herself as he did so. He let out a breath of relief. He was so happy to be out of that house and away from Lee. "Fucking creep..." Kevin muttered before making his way down the lawn, which the Kankers had trimmed. He couldn't lie to himself, he did appreciate all the work the Kankers were doing to get the house ready for the party, but he still couldn't shake his hatred of them. And, even if he didn't despise them, they were still creepy as hell, and he certainly didn't want to stick around that house with them.

"Hey, Kevin!" someone shouted from behind him.

"Shit!" Kevin yelled before whirling around, the sudden shout scaring him out of his thoughts.

"Whoa, is everything alright?" Jimmy asked, concerned. Kevin sighed in relief at the sight of the young boy.

"No, everything's good... you just scared the shit out me is all," Kevin answered before taking a deep breath in.

"Okay... well then how did everything go on your end?" Jimmy asked, hoping that the plan was still panning out.

"Everything went great... everyone's still coming, too, so we're good on that front..." Kevin said quietly, as if he was still in thought as he talked.

"That's good... but you seem a little out of it. Did something bad happen?" Jimmy asked. Kevin rubbed the back of his neck and looked to the side.

"It's nothing serious... you know how it is after you talk to one of the Kankers," Kevin answered as he looked Jimmy in the eye, who seemed to understand.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Jimmy replied, knowing that being around them was never easy. "Anyway, we've got all the stuff we needed for the party, and we took all of it over Jonny's house for safe keeping," Jimmy explained to Kevin, who had started to calm down and go back to his normal cool demeanor.

"It seems like everything's coming together... I guess now all we have to do is wait for tomorrow to come..." Kevin said.

"I know, we're so close... I'm actually feeling really nervous," Jimmy answered.

"Don't worry, you're not the only one. I'm sure everything's going to work out, though," Kevin responded before stretching out and yawning. "Damn, all this running around and talking to people must've taken a lot out of me... I guess we'll have to talk more about this tomorrow, probably before the party starts," Kevin stated. "And make sure to tell Sarah and Jonny that everything's good, I don't want those two to get all worried and shit," Kevin added before walking off toward the cul-de-sac.

"I'll make sure to," Jimmy called out after Kevin as he walked off. Jimmy could feel a knot forming inside of him. He didn't know why, but he actually felt that something would go wrong, even though everything was going according to the plan. He just couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt that something bigger was going to happen at the party than what was planned. Jimmy couldn't shake these thoughts as he began to walk toward the playground, where he hoped he would have better luck in taking his mind off of his fears.

* * *

Sarah sat up in her bed, unable to get to sleep. She looked over at a clock next to her bed, but couldn't make out the time since it was so dark. She did know it was very late, though. The thought of tomorrow was keeping her awake. She was excited to say the least; it was a chance to get back at Ed for being an idiot, a chance to get back at Edd for a unrequited love, and a chance to get back at all three of them for even thinking that she, or anyone else, wanted to be friends with them. Even then, she did still feel bad about Jimmy; he was brave to admit the way he felt, and she knew that she would have to find a way to make their friendship work. She shook herself out of her thoughts and figured that she had to go to sleep. But she wasn't sleepy.

She sighed before climbing out of bed. She decided that maybe a late night snack and a little bit of television might make her a lot more tired, so she decided to give it a try. She exited her room and then made her way silently down the dark corridors and rooms of the house, making sure not to make a sound. She entered the living room and froze when she spotted Ed sitting in a chair. She wondered to herself what he was doing up so late, and she decided to find out. She carefully walked up behind him and then stopped right behind the chair. "Ed?" Sarah asked in a sweet voice. Ed turned around in the chair to face her.

"I'm sorry, sweet baby sister of mine, did I wake you up from beauty sleep?" Ed asked as he smiled.

"No, I was just wondering what you were doing still awake," Sarah answered as she peeked into Ed's lap. She spotted some sort of science fiction comic.

"Well, I was so excited about the party that I couldn't get to sleep..." Ed explained. "Is that why you're awake?" Ed asked.

"Yeah... I'm really excited too," Sarah replied as she smiled up at him.

"I'm glad... I can't wait to party with all of my new friends..." Ed said as he began to imagine the awesome party that was awaiting him. "It's gonna be great..."

"Believe me, Ed, it's gonna be a party to remember."

* * *

Edd sat on the edge of his bed as he stared across his dark room at his door. He couldn't get to sleep, but he didn't know why. He figured it was probably because he was so excited about the party, but he knew that couldn't be it; after all, he wasn't exactly looking forward to seeing the Kankers again. Still, he knew he would have to tough it out. Ed said he would still go, so he knew he was pretty much obligated to do the same. He also felt a little shame at not informing Eddy about the Kankers; he knew that Eddy would probably be extremely angry with him when they showed up to the party and the Kankers were there, but he also knew that Eddy might change his mind and stay home if he learned that the three girls they feared more than anyone else were going to be there.

Edd yawned. He suddenly was feeling very tired. There was still so many things swirling around in his head, but he figured he'd sleep on it.

* * *

Eddy laid on his bed, the blanket drawn up to his chest and his head sinking into his pillow. He was extremely nervous about the party tomorrow. For one, it would be weird to be around Ed and Edd again, especially after his strange behavior toward them. Not to mention the fact that the relationships that had originally existed in the cul-de-sac were now crumbling away. He honestly didn't know what to make of it. It seemed like the world outside had changed while he stayed the same. He didn't feel any different, after all. He still felt like Kevin was a jerk and that Sarah was a brat, even if they had actually changed for the better. Even then, he decided that he'd have to keep those thoughts to himself. He had to make sure that he didn't ruin the entire thing for Ed, Edd, and himself.

* * *

Kevin sat on his bike in his garage, deep in thought. He was happy that his parents had decided to be a lot more lenient with his punishment; they had decided that, on account of good behavior, Kevin had to do without an allowance and had to help a lot more around the house. They figured it would be like he was paying them back for the loss of the motorcycle, and Kevin jumped on the opportunity to reduce his sentence, so to speak. Even better, he managed to convince them to let him hang out with his friends tomorrow, meaning that the plan would continue on smoothly. Kevin sighed before looking down at the bike he was sitting on. He was proud of the work he had done on getting the bike up to his standards. Still, it couldn't make up for the loss of his motorcycle, and he longed to have it back. The thought of the Eds finally getting what was coming to them alleviated the pain a bit.

* * *

Jimmy stared longingly at a picture of him and Sarah as he sat up in his bed. He knew that, no matter how well the party went, it would take a while before he and Sarah could return to being friends. The knowledge that Sarah no longer had any feelings for Edd, however, assured him that it was only a matter of time before he and Sarah were playing together and having a great time just like they used to. He took one last look at the picture before setting it on a dresser beside his bed. He laid down and sunk into the mattress, knowing that he had to get some rest if he was going to be ready for tomorrow. The thought of Edd getting what he deserved kept him awake for just a few moments more, but then he was soon fast asleep.

* * *

Jonny laid silently in his bed as he stared up at his ceiling. Normally he would be able to go to sleep pretty fast, especially with Plank at his side. But Plank wasn't here anymore. His favorite piece of wood had been driven away, thanks to Eddy, and now sleeping was complete torture. In fact, everything was torture now; Jonny couldn't make up his mind about anything he wanted to do, and he spent half of his day just trying to make simple choices, like what to eat or what to wear. The freedom that he had felt so happy about before turned out to be hell for him, and he wanted Plank back, even if he was a little bossy at times. Although Plank wasn't there to comfort him, the thought of Eddy suffering comforted him almost as well.

* * *

Rolf relaxed into his bed, happy to finally be able to rest after a long day of cooking and hanging out with Nazz. Normally Rolf wouldn't be so worn out from such frivolous activities, but he had spent so much time stressing over Nazz. He didn't know what to think about her. She was one of his best friends, the other being Kevin, and he didn't want to think that she was attracted to him, but all the evidence was there. He sighed. He knew that Kevin liked her a lot, although many of the boys in the cul-de-sac did. Except for him. He liked Nazz as a friend and that was it. He hoped deep inside he was just being paranoid, and that his instincts were wrong. Rolf thought that finding comfort in that hope would help him get to sleep, but something else still managed to keep him awake: the party. He had been very excited before, but now that he knew that the Kankers would be there, he knew that it might not nearly be as fun as it could've been. He knew he couldn't let down Kevin, however, so he had to be there.

* * *

Nazz felt her eyes flutter open for the fourth time that night, and she was tired of almost getting to sleep and then waking up again. She felt so stupid. She felt like a klutz. She felt embarressed. She had acted so idiotic around Rolf earlier that day, and she feared that she might be freaking him out with her actions. But she couldn't help it. She also couldn't help being afraid of attending the party tomorrow. She knew that something bad was going to happen, probably because of the Kankers, and there was nothing she could do about it. She sought comfort in Kevin's assurance that they would scram the second something bad happened, and it helped ease her mind. And soon, she was asleep.

* * *

Marie lounged casually on the couch as the light from the television lit up the dark living room. She normally wouldn't mind staying up late, but she knew she had to get rest to be ready for tomorrow. Still, something was keeping her up, and she just decided to go with it. She watched as images of a red car flying down the road and several police cars chasing it flashed on the televsion. She looked over at the stairs when she saw movement, and she spotted May creeping down the stairs. She couldn't help but smile a little; she should've figured she wasn't the only one who couldn't get to sleep. "Hey," May said quietly before walking over to the couch. Marie straightened up as May sat down next to her.

"Couldn't get any sleep either, right?" Marie asked as she continued to watch the television.

"Nope," May answered as she looked over at Marie.

"We just gotta keep it down so Lee doesn't wake up... she'll probably get all pissy with us," Marie said, still not taking her eyes off of the television.

"Mom will probably be home pretty soon," May said as she leaned on the side of the couch.

"Probably. But she won't care if we're awake or not," Marie replied as she leaned back into the couch. "She'll tell us to get our asses off of the couch so she can lay down, but she won't care other than that," Marie joked as May giggled.

"Yeah..." May trailed off. The two of them fell silent for a short while as they watched an exciting car chase. "I can't wait for tomorrow," May suddenly stated, snapping Marie out of her focus on the television.

"Me neither..." Marie answered before sighing. "It's going to be a night to remember," Marie said slyly as she looked over at May and smiled, who couldn't help but return her sister's sinister grin.


	14. Don't Screw up or Else

**Author's Note: **_What's this? Over a month since my last update? Well, time sure does fly when I'm doing work and having no fun! But enough about the painful amount of work I'm enduring, I think you're all here to read the next chapter! At least, I think so; if you'd rather hear me ramble on about my life, I can write a special chapter just for you! As always, read and review!_

* * *

Edd sighed happily as he held the notebook of solutions he had worked so hard to construct in his hands. He was happy to announce that he no longer needed it at this point in time. After he and the other Eds attended the party, their place in the cul-de-sac would finally be cemented. There would be no more torment, torture, bullying, beatings, or harassment. Well, at least from the kids; Edd wasn't sure why the Kankers were so interested in attending the party, but he knew it couldn't be because of anything he or the other Eds did. Nevertheless, he had decided that perhaps he would have to wait to change the Kankers. Or maybe he couldn't at all. They were so far gone in his mind that change seemed impossible. After all, their situation with the other kids was actually more self-caused than anything. The Kankers, on the other hand, were bullies and nothing more. They had attacked the Eds and the kids on so many different occasions that redemption seemed dead for them. Even then, Edd knew that people could change, and he knew that in the future, maybe the Kankers would be different. Maybe they would grow up and leave behind their wicked and deviant ways.

Edd strolled toward his waste basket and opened up the notebook. He began at the page that read "Sarah" at the top. He carefully tore the page out of the notebook, balled it up, and then tossed it into the wastebasket. He did the same with every page about Sarah, and then did the same with all the pages about Kevin. He paused on the pages about the Kankers. He knew he might still need this notebook in the future in order to work on them. He carefully closed the now gutted notebook and then walked over to a file cabinet in the corner of his room. He opened up the top drawer and stuck the notebook inside. He closed the drawer shut and then opened the middle one. He stared down at all of the files he kept on all the kids that he knew. From Rolf to Sarah, from Sarah to Jonny, everyone was in there. He began to sort through the files, removing some of them as he went. He shut the drawer after he had retrieved six files in particular: the ones on Sarah, Jonny, Kevin, Rolf, Nazz, and Jimmy. He wouldn't need them anymore. He felt bad about having to toss them out; after all, he had done extensive research to fill out each folder. Still, he knew the guilt of keeping secret information on each of the kids would kill him, especially now that they were his friends.

Edd walked over to the wastebasket and pulled up a chair. He sat down next to the trash and then began to go through each folder, tearing each page carefully, shredding them until they were unreadable. It felt relieving not having to worry about the kids anymore. Each tear that he made in a page was a relationship made stronger between him and one of his new friends. After a while of ripping and tearing all of the information until it was no more, all that was left in the folders were pictures of each of the kids. He figured that the photos were anything to be ashamed of, and he brought the folders back to the cabinet and then shut them in their drawer. He walked back over to his desk and then sat down; he felt as if a one-ton weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. And he knew it could only get better from here.

* * *

Eddy looked at the assortment of clothes that surrounded him in his closet as he strolled through it. He was almost sure that he had more outfits than anyone else in the cul-de-sac; he was all about having the best threads, after all. Even then, he couldn't put his finger on what exactly he was going to wear to the party. It had been a while since he had been invited to a party; in fact, the last party he could remember was Jonny's stupid Arbor Day party, which he and Edd were stuck at for hours as Jonny and Ed acted like complete idiots. Then again, that was actually one of the few parties he was actually invited to. Most of the time he and the other Eds were reduced to having to crash one or just plain show up uninvited. Anger started to rise inside of him as he thought about it, but he began to cool down again as thoughts of the party he _was _invited to poured back into his head. That was all in the past now and he knew he had to stop thinking about it. He had drilled it into his head all morning that he would have to forget about the prior conflicts that he had with all the others kids. Still, it was only about a week ago when Kevin took it upon himself to-

Eddy perked up when he heard the phone begin to ring. He made his way out of his closet and to the phone. He picked up the receiver. "Hello," Eddy said, expecting to hear Edd.

"Hey, Eddy, what's up?" Nazz's voice sounded into Eddy's ear, surprising him.

"Nazz?" Eddy asked into the phone, still surprised.

"Yeah, it's me," Nazz answered as she giggled.

"Oh... well... uh..." Eddy stuttered nervously. "Did you need to talk to me about something?" Eddy finally got out.

"I just wanted to call to say that I'm happy you decided to come to the party," Nazz replied. "I was worried about you for a while there, especially since you, Ed, and Double D seemed to be drifting apart..." Nazz trailed off. "But I guess you were right when you said you guys would be back together in no time," Nazz continued, her voice rising again.

"Yeah, I told you not to worry. I mean, I've been friends with Ed and Double D for my whole life," Eddy answered as he rubbed his head, finally finding the confidence to talk with gusto. "Nothing can break us apart."

"You're definitely right about that, dude. I'm surprised you guys still wanted to show up after you found out that the Kankers were gonna be there," Nazz relayed. Eddy almost dropped the receiver. He could feel his entire body locking up as he tightened his grip around the receiver. He grabbed his chest as he processed the information that Nazz had told him. The Kankers were going to be at the party. How? When? Why? He didn't know the answer to any of these; he did wonder why no one saw it fit to inform him that they would be there. After all, May, Marie, and Lee were pretty much the bane of the Eds' lives, and everyone knew it. How could the kids not tell him? Of course, Nazz was telling him right now, but that still didn't excuse the fact that he was finding out on the day of the party. Even worse, Nazz made it sound like Ed and Edd already knew. But why wouldn't they tell him? Normally they would've come running and screaming to him about the presence of their harassers, but they hadn't said a word to him. "Are you alright?" Nazz asked, noticing that Eddy was breathing heavily into the phone.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine..." Eddy whispered, his thoughts still locked onto the Kankers. He couldn't go. There was no way he could show up at the party. Sure, he had found the courage to accept the invitation, but that was before he knew that his fucking _rapists _would be there. Who knows what hellish tricks they would pull. He knew one. And by God was it a bad one. He could picture the Kankers waltzing in and informing everyone of their sexual encounters with Eddy. He knew he would die from embarrassment and humiliation. And who knows how his parents would react if Ed, Edd, or one of the other kids told them?

"Are you sure?" Nazz asked, wondering why Eddy was acting so strange. She realized that it might've been because he didn't know about the Kankers showing up, but she knew that couldn't be true; after all, Ed and Edd would've told him. "You did know they were coming, right?" Nazz asked, deciding to check anyway. Eddy paused for a moment.

"Yeah... yeah, I knew. It's just... well, you know about all the crap between us..." Eddy answered. "It's just gonna be weird to be around them is all."

"I understand... believe it or not, I feel the same way," Nazz replied as she thought back to her latest encounter with the Kankers.

"I know... listen, I gotta go get ready for the party," Eddy said quickly, wanting to get off of the phone. He was great at lying, sure, but he felt guilty having to lie about both knowing that the Kankers showing up and him still going to the party.

"Not that you mention it, I have to get some stuff done too," Nazz responded. "Take care of yourself, Eddy."

"You too, Nazz," Eddy said before hanging up. He crossed his arms before sighing. He knew that him not showing up might not make a difference; after all, nothing was stopping the Kankers from telling everyone about what happened between him and then. With their own twists of course; he doubted they would tell everyone about the smoke and mirrors they used to get him to cave, as well as the fact that they had even forced themselves onto him at one point. He could picture them cackling as they told everyone that Eddy had came to them begging to have sex. That he had gotten on his knees and pleaded. He cringed at the thought. But he knew it would only be worse if he showed up. If he tried to protest, it would seem like he was being defensive, and it definitely didn't help that he was probably viewed by a liar by everyone else, perhaps even by Ed and Edd. Eddy had made up his mind: he wasn't going, and nobody could make him.

* * *

Edd stood in front of his closet with a towel wrapped around him as he eyed the modest array of clothing he had. Most of it was professional attire, such as collared shirts, dress shirts, ties, and dress pants. He reached for a dress shirt, but stopped himself short; he had to remember that he was going to a party with mostly teenagers. He would look ridiculous walking in with formal clothing on. Edd rescinded his hand and instead reached for his normal attire of a t-shirt and shorts, as well as a spare hat. He knew that it would be better to wear his casual clothing than anything else.

After he was done changing, he quickly grabbed his wallet and exited the room quietly, making sure to lock his room securely behind himself; he absolutely hated it when people went into his room without his permission. Luckily for him, that he hung out with two people that usually did just that. Edd made his way downstairs and, after making sure the house looked fine, exited through the front door. He locked it behind him and then began his journey over to Eddy's house, which was across from his. Edd walked up to Eddy's door and knocked firmly, and then waited patiently for Eddy to answer the door. Edd didn't have to wait long before he heard Eddy's door being unlocked. The door opened to reveal Eddy. "Hello, Eddy," Edd beamed, happy to see that Eddy was finally willing to open the door for him instead of putting up a fight.

"Hey," Eddy said simply before stepping out of the way for Edd to come in.

"Well, you don't seem very excited Eddy. I thought you would be ecstatic to finally be invited to a party for once," Edd teased, hoping that Eddy would be his usual self for once.

"Yeah, I'm just... nervous is all," Eddy said before turning away and walking back toward his room, Edd following close behind him.

"Don't worry, Eddy, I'm sure everything will go fine," Edd responded as they entered Eddy's room. Eddy sat down in front of his mirror and began to mess around with some products sitting on the dresser.

"Maybe... it just feels odd to be going over to a party with a bunch of people that used to hate us..." Eddy muttered as he pulled out a comb and began messing with his hair.

"The key words here, Eddy, are "used to". The kids have totally reformed, and I'm happy to say that it looks like the majority of our worries are gone for good," Edd said happily as he sat down on the edge of Eddy's bed.

"Whatever you want to say about it, it won't change the fact that it's gonna be weird. The last time I saw Kevin I yelled at him... I'm gonna feel like an idiot acting nice to him," Eddy responded as he turned the chair around and faced Edd.

"Maybe so, but at least he'll be nice back for once," Edd replied. "They all will," Edd added.

"You got a point, I guess," Eddy answered before turning back to the mirror to mess with his hair some more. "Anyway, I still got some stuff to do to get ready. I've got to pick out some clothes and mess around with my hair some more, so you might as well go over Ed's without me and make sure he managed to get himself dressed," Eddy declared as he slicked his hair back.

"Oh dear, I didn't know you weren't actually ready... you do know that the party is starting very soon, right?" Edd asked. "I figured that we would both go together with Ed, Rolf, and Nazz to the party," Edd explained further. Eddy turned to him, a puzzled expression on his face.

"What about Jimmy, Jonny, Sarah, and Kevin?" Eddy asked. "Aren't they going too?"

"Well yes, of course, but Jimmy, Jonny, and Sarah all headed over to the abandoned house to help Kevin make preparations for the party," Edd responded. Eddy narrowed his eyes; those four had been spending inordinate amounts of time together, and it was just plain weird. The only reason Kevin was ever around Sarah, Jimmy, or Jonny was when Nazz and Rolf were around. Eddy decided to drop the thought, however; after all, he had to be focused on weaseling his way out of going to the party.

"Listen, I still gotta lot of stuff to do, so why don't you guys just go without me?" Eddy suggested. "I'll still show up, but I might be late." Edd rubbed his chin in thought before sighing.

"Very well then, Eddy," Edd finally said as he dropped his arms at his sides in defeat. "Anyway, I should probably get over Ed's to make sure that he's ready to go. Try to at least be fashionably, and not horribly, late," Edd suggested before exiting Eddy's room through the back. When Eddy was sure Edd was gone, he ran up to the door and locked it tight. He knew he should've just told Edd that he wasn't going, but he figured since Edd had seen it fit not to tell him about the Kankers, he'd just let Ed and Edd go to the party without him. It only seemed fair.

* * *

"Well, it's just a casual party, dude, I don't think you need _that_," Nazz suggested as she and Rolf stood in Ed's room, which they were happy to find was still relatively clean, although it was obvious that Ed had started the process of restoring it to it's former glory. Ed stood across from them dressed up in part of the monster suit that Edd had made for him quite a few years back, and Nazz and Rolf knew they had to coax Ed out of it; after all, they were scared out of their wits that Ed might start going crazy and trying to stick them to his walls again.

"Aw, but I could bust in and be like "Roar, I am a monster!" It would be so cool!" Ed explained as he pleaded his case.

"Rolf thinks that the Ed-boy should save the skin of the dangerous beast for a different occasion... perhaps the Ed-boy could wear it during Allohean?" Rolf suggested.

"Allohean? You mean Halloween?" Nazz questioned.

"Fine, I'll put it back..." Ed said before wandering back to his closet and rummaging around in it.

"That was a close one..." Nazz whispered to Rolf, glad that they managed to convince Ed to take off of the suit. Ed suddenly whipped around, the monster mask on his face, and let out a great roar.

"Not again!" Nazz cried before jumping behind Rolf, who was shaking in fear. Ed suddenly fell backwards and began laughing.

"Huh?" Rolf said, confused, as Nazz peeked out from behind him. Ed took the mask off as he sat up.

"I got you guys!" Ed exclaimed before wiping a tear from his eye and tossing the mask back into the closet.

"Not cool, dude," Nazz responded, a little peeved, but still happy to see that Ed hadn't actually gone berserk again.

"Yes, well, Rolf is just pleased to see that the flat-head Ed-boy was not turned into a crazed hooligan," Rolf admitted before relaxing, Nazz stepping out from behind him. The doorbell suddenly rung, and Ed hopped to his feet.

"It's probably Double D and Eddy!" Ed exclaimed as he tore the monster suit off to reveal his usual attire. "Last one there's a rotten piece of buttered toast!" Ed yelled before running through his door and up his stairs.

"The one-brow Ed-boy surely is a piece of work," Rolf said jokingly before he and Nazz walked after Ed. Ed ran to his front door and quickly unlocked it to reveal Edd.

"Hello, Ed," Edd greeted as Ed let him inside. Ed peeked his head back out, expecting to see Eddy, but it seemed that Edd had come by himself.

"Is Eddy still coming?" Ed asked as he closed the door. Edd sighed.

"Yes, but it turns out that he isn't ready to go just yet, so we'll have to set out for the party without him," Edd admitted.

"Hey, Double D," Nazz greeted as she and Rolf stepped out from the hallway and joined Ed and Edd at the door. "Where's Eddy? Didn't you say he was going to the party with us?" Nazz asked as she looked around for the short Ed-boy.

"Well, as I was just explaining to Ed, Eddy is still preparing for the party, so he told me he'd have to be late," Edd explained.

"So we're going to go without him?" Nazz asked.

"Looks that way, unfortunately," Edd responded as Ed donned a sad look. "But like I said, Eddy said he was still coming, he'd just be coming late," Edd added, hoping to relieve Ed of some of his disappointment.

"Is there anything else we have to do before we go party?" Ed asked, hoping to take his mind off of the fact that Eddy wasn't coming with them.

"Well, since we're not waiting on Eddy, I suppose we could make our way over there now, if you're all ready," Edd said.

"Rolf is ready for the celebration," Rolf repsonded.

"Yeah, me too," Nazz replied.

"Ready to party, Double D," Ed said happily.

"In that case, let's head out," Edd answered as he began to turn around.

"Yay, it's party time!" Ed exclaimed before grabbing Edd by the arm and bursting through his front door. Nazz and Rolf couldn't help but look on in amusement, giggling as they watched Ed run up the street, laughing and dragging Edd around by his wrist all the while.

"Wait up for us, dude!" Nazz yelled after Ed as she and Rolf exited the house, Nazz making sure to close the door behind them. Nazz and Rolf then ran up the street, hoping to catch the two speeding Eds.

* * *

Kevin stood nervously in the kitchen of the abandoned house, checking his watch every few minutes. The kitchen was relatively large, and it had large, oak cupboards, a stove, a big dining table, a sink devoid of dishes, and a door that led into a pantry. On the dining table were several snacks, foods, and drinks, such as a bowl of chips,a bottle of soda, a punch bowl, Jimmy's keesh, some dip, some cookies, and other assorted goods. Kevin couldn't keep his mind off of what was coming. He knew that everything was going just as it should, but he knew that one errant slip up would lead to failure, and failure meant the Eds, Nazz, and Rolf knowing what was going on, and, even worse, maybe even the Kankers punishing him, Sarah, Jonny, and Jimmy for their failure. He knew everything had to go right at this party. He didn't know exactly how they were going to get to the part of their plan where the Eds finally got their comeuppance, but he knew that Nazz and Rolf either had to be on board with it or not present to witness. Kevin looked up when Sarah entered the room. "What's up?" Kevin greeted as he sat up in the chair.

"Nothing much," Sarah said before sitting down beside him.

"So I take it they're not here yet, right?" Kevin asked.

"No," Sarah answered. Kevin nodded slightly before slouching back into his chair. He didn't want Sarah to see how nervous he was, but he could tell by the way she was acting and sitting that she was probably just as anxious as he was. Sarah took a deep breath as let her arms drop into her lap.

"I hope everything goes alright," Sarah finally said.

"Don't worry, it will," Kevin answered, knowing he had to be the cool and collected one, even if he wasn't.

"How do you know?" Sarah questioned. "What if one of them knows what we're up to, or Nazz and Rolf go tell someone?" Sarah asked.

"They won't find out, trust me on that one. And I guess we'll have to figure out how to deal with Nazz and Rolf when the time comes," Kevin responded. Sarah nodded as Kevin answered her, although it was clear she still had her reservations. "Look, everything's gonna be fine. We shouldn't be the nervous ones here. Hell, if the Eds knew what was coming, they would be the nervous ones," Kevin added, hoping to calm her down and get her riled up and ready for some sweet revenge.

"I guess you're right... I just hope Jonny doesn't do something stupid," Sarah muttered.

"Jonny wants revenge just like we do. I think we can trust him enough not to act like a moron," Kevin replied.

"Yeah, yeah..." Sarah said as she let her head roll back, her eyes meeting the ceiling. The two of them fell silent as they sat in the kitchen, each of them consumed by the thoughts swirling around his head. They both turned their heads to the entrance to the kitchen when they heard footsteps. Kevin bolted into an upright position when he saw the Kankers enter the room, and Sarah quickly followed suit when she saw them as well. Jimmy and Jonny came in behind them, and it was clear that they too were nervous as hell. Unsurprisingly, the Kankers didn't seem to be nervous at all; the insidious grins on their faces told Kevin all he needed to know about what they were thinking.

"Alright, baldie, curly-q, take a seat," Lee commanded. Jonny and Jimmy quickly made their way to the dining room table and took their seats across from Kevin and Sarah. The four kids at the table watched the Kankers apprehensively, wondering what was coming next. "Now, the Eds and those other two chumps are gonna be here any minute, so me and the girls have to make sure you all know exactly what you're doing," Lee began as she crossed her arms. May and Marie stood on either side of her, goofy smiles plastered on their faces. "When they get here, you gotta greet them, Kevin, since you're supposed to be the host" Lee stated as she looked at Kevin, who nodded slowly. Lee turned her gaze over to Jonny. "Ji... Ja... uh... whatever your name is, you handle the food and drinks. When I give the order, you add the special ingredient to the punch," Lee announced.

"Okay," Jonny said in a quiet voice as he wondered what the "special ingredient" was.

"As for you two twerps," Lee began as she looked at Sarah, and then Jimmy. "You guys handle the music. We have a shit load of tapes in the other room you can use, just take your pick," Lee advised as Sarah and Jimmy nodded.

"What about you guys?" Kevin asked, wondering what their role in all this would be. Lee grinned.

"We're gonna party of course. This is your party, and we're your guests, remember?" Lee said.

"Right," Kevin answered.

"Now that that's all settled, we'll go ahead and wait around back, and then come back in a few minutes after the Eds and those other two are here," Lee informed them. "Now, is that all clear?" Lee asked as she looked around at the four nervous faces before her. Kevin looked at Sarah, then Jimmy, and then Jonny, who all nodded slowly. Kevin looked back at Lee.

"Crystal," Kevin replied.

"Alright, well now that we got all that bullshit out of the way, we better get out before they arrive," Lee said as she led her sisters out of the kitchen.

Marie peeked her head back into the kitchen and quickly said, "And you four better not screw this up... or else." She narrowed her eyes at the four and then followed her sisters out. Silence fell over the room as the four waited to hear the sound of the Kankers exiting through the back. They heard the back door open, and then close, and then the four of them sighed in relief. They all looked at each other, all knowing that all four of them were anxious and scared out of their minds.

"Well, I guess we better not screw up," Sarah said, Marie's threatening words still ringing through the air.

"Don't listen to Marie, we got this," Kevin answered.

"Yeah," Jimmy said, although his voice was light and weak.

"Come on, I said we got this, and we do. I don't want any of you to chicken out now; remember what we're after here," Kevin proclaimed as he stood up; he had resolved to be the cool and collected one, but he knew he had to be the fiery leader as well.

"Kevin's right, I'm going to get Eddy for driving Plank away!" Jonny exclaimed as he stood up.

"That's right, tell it like it is, Jonny," Kevin answered, glad that he had some success with at least one of them. Sarah suddenly stood up as well.

"And I'm going to get Ed and his stupid friends for trying to be friends with us, when all they've ever done is scam us!" Sarah added. Kevin grinned.

"That's right!" Kevin said. Jimmy joined the others in standing up.

"And I'm going to get them for hurting me all the time!" Jimmy proclaimed, although he really want to yell out how he was going to get Edd for ruining the relationship between him and Sarah.

"And I'm going to get them back for wrecking my bike and leaving me with the Kankers," Kevin said, as the four of them all smiled evilly and triumphantly at each other. "Alright, now let's do this," Kevin said darkly as the four of them got into place to prepare for the arrival of their unsuspecting guests.

* * *

"Well, there it is," Edd said as he led Ed, Rolf, and Sarah toward the door to the abandoned house, which was about to become the party house.

"Wow, look at the lawn; Kevin must've trimmed it just for the party," Nazz commented, noticing that the usual tall weeds were now gone, replaced by short, clean cut grass.

"I'm definitely thankful for that, as I believe they irritate Ed's sinuses," Edd added as he looked up at the tall Ed, who had a wide smile; it was obvious that Ed was pumped for the party, which was just about to begin. The four of them reached the door, and Edd swiftly knocked on the door. The four of them waited for a few moments, and then the door swung open to reveal Kevin, who had a big grin on his face.

"Hey, Kevin!" Nazz greeted.

"Hey, glad you guys are here," Kevin replied as he stepped out of the way. Rolf, Nazz, Edd, and Ed walked in, and Kevin looked outside of the door; Eddy wasn't with them. "Hey, where's Eddy?" Kevin asked; he knew that if Eddy wasn't coming, the Kankers might be pissed, not to mention the fact that Eddy was his main target of revenge. Edd turned around and sighed.

"Well, Eddy wasn't ready when I went to get him, so he's going to be running a little late," Edd admitted. Kevin felt mentally relieved at this information, and quickly shut the door.

"In that case, let's get this party started!" Kevin yelled out as Sarah and Jimmy started the music, which quickly filled the once quiet house.


	15. Party Hard

**Authors Notes: **_Sorry about the long wait. Here's chapter fifteen for your viewing pleasure._

* * *

As Kevin closed the door shut behind Edd and the others, Edd took a moment to glance around. The interior of the house had been cleaned up so much that it looked quite refurbished, although someone like Edd could easily spot the missed areas and spots that still remained relatively dirty. Despite this, he could tell that Kevin had put a lot of work into sprucing the house up, so he decided to hold back his inner-cleaner and leave everything be. Some sort of rock song was playing from a boombox that sat in the back of the room, although someone like Edd wouldn't be able to identify the band, let alone the song itself. Nazz, Rolf, and Ed all split away from Edd to go explore around the house and settle themselves into the party, leaving Edd standing there awkwardly. Edd looked around nervously, unsure of what to do; he wasn't exactly a party animal, so he didn't know what to do first. Luckily for him, Kevin quickly approached him. "Hey, Double D, you look a little lost? Need some food or drink to get settled?" Kevin asked in a friendly tone. Edd smiled faintly.

"Thank you, I definitely could use some punch," Edd answered. Kevin nodded and then proceeded to lead Edd toward the kitchen.

"I am a party machine!" Ed said as he danced around in the middle of the living room, an old lampshade over his head. Nazz, who looked on from the side of the room, giggled before turning her attention to Rolf, who was talking to Jimmy about some of the tapes that were lying beside the boombox. She began to walk over to Rolf, but Jonny suddenly appeared in front of her, startling her slightly.

"Hey, Nazz, wanna dance?" he asked before beaming at her.

"Uh... well..." Nazz mumbled as she looked past Jonny at Rolf, who was still busy talking to Jimmy. It seemed like Rolf was busy anyway, so Nazz figured it wouldn't hurt to humor him. "Totally dude, let's dance," she said before grabbing Jonny by the arm and dragging him out to where Ed danced, leaving Rolf to talk to Jimmy, who was holding out several tapes for Rolf to examine.

"Rolf does not understand this brown string and plastic doohickey," Rolf muttered as he studied one of the tapes Jimmy had handed to him. Rolf tried to remove some of the magnetic tape inside of it, but Jimmy, knowing that the Kankers would be pissed if Rolf screwed up their tapes, quickly snatched it away from him.

"Uh... don't worry about it, Rolf. I don't even know how these tapes work, to be honest," Jimmy assured Rolf, which seemed to appease him.

"Thank you, Kevin," Edd said as Kevin handed him a paper cup filled with punch, the two of them standing by the refreshments in the kitchen.

"No problem, man. I understand that parties can be a little nerve-racking, but you just gotta chill and go with it," Kevin suggested as Edd took a sip from his cup.

"Indeed..." Edd said quietly as he stared off into the distance. Kevin was right about parties by themselves being nerve-racking, but, in reality, it wasn't the party itself that had taken over his mind. "Well..." Edd began as he returned his gaze to Kevin, who seemed to be actively listening, "I'm actually more concerned about three potential party-goers that might be showing up." Kevin sighed before looking around to make sure no one listening.

"Look, Double D, I know you're still worried about those three, but they haven't even shown up yet. Hell, if we're lucky, they won't show up at all," Kevin said as he leaned against the table.

"You make a good point..." Edd mumbled quietly, although he knew that, any second now, the Kankers could come busting through the front door. "Anyway, I better go make sure Ed doesn't break anything. Thanks for the punch, Kevin," Edd thanked him before walking back into the living room to control Ed, who was now doing the worm on the floor. Kevin sighed before taking a sip from his punch while looking at the living room from the kitchen. He spotted Jonny dancing with Nazz, and he almost spit his punch all over the place. "That little twerp..." Kevin hissed to himself, pissed that Jonny actually got Nazz to dance with him. He placed his cup on the table behind him before making his way into the living room.

"You sure know how to tap your toes, Nazz!" Jonny complimented as he spun Nazz around.

"Thanks, dude!" Nazz responded; Nazz couldn't help but admit to herself that she was actually having fun dancing with Jonny. As Jonny finished spinning her around, she saw Kevin approaching them. "Hey, Kevin," Nazz said quickly as she stopped dancing with Jonny. Jonny turned around slowly, afraid that Kevin was going to be angry about him dancing with Nazz.

"Hey, Nazz," Kevin said coolly before turning his attention to Jonny. "Jonny, can I talk to you for sec?" Kevin asked.

"Uh... sure," Jonny said before leaving Nazz and following Kevin into the kitchen.

"Ed, please calm down," Edd pleaded with Ed, who was spinning around like a maniac.

"But, Double D, I'm the party animal!" Ed proclaimed before stopping to face Edd, although he started to wobble around, obviously dizzy.

"Yes, yes, I know, but even party animals need a little rest. Come on, Ed, let's get you something to drink," Edd suggested; he figured since the punch helped him with his nervousness, it might help settle Ed down.

"Good idea! Party animal Ed to the refueling dock, on the double!" Ed said before running toward the kitchen.

"Oh dear..." Edd mumbled before following.

"Listen up, Jonny," Kevin began as he stood in the corner of the kitchen with Jonny, "The Kankers said that you have to be in here to serve drinks to people, and I don't want them to bust up in here and see you dancing around like a fool," Kevin lectured. "Got that?"

"Come on, I was just having a little fun," Jonny shot back, angry that Kevin had ruined the moment between him and Nazz.

"Yeah, well find some way to have fun in here, cause I don't want to catch you-" Kevin stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ed and Edd enter the kitchen. "-uh... anyway, Jonny, that was some nice dancing out there," Kevin quickly said, changing the subject to avoid suspicion.

"Wha-" Jonny muttered before turning around and spotting Ed and Edd. "Uh... oh yeah, thanks Kevin!" Jonny said quickly before running over to the table.

"Here, Ed, let me get you some punch," Edd said before reaching for a cup. Jonny suddenly snatched a cup up and then beamed up at Ed and Edd.

"Don't worry, Double D, I've got it!" Jonny said quickly before filling the cup with punch. "There you are!" Jonny said before handing the cup to Ed.

"Why thank you, Jonny," Edd said as he turned his attention to Ed.

"Opening refueling port!" Ed said before opening his mouth and then gulping the punch down. "Refueling complete! Back to the mission, captain!" Ed said before attempting to run out to the dance floor again. Edd quickly grabbed Ed's arm and stopped him.

"Hold on, Ed," Edd said, trying to calm the lumbering oaf down. "Listen, how about we just stay here and enjoy some of the food? Does that sound good, Ed?" Edd asked, hoping that the food would keep Ed under control.

"Oh, alright, party pooper Double D," Ed answered, a little sad.

"Hey, if you guys want food, I can get you whatever you want!" Jonny said eagerly.

"Oh, Jonny, you don't have to. I'm sure me and Ed can manage by ourselves," Edd answered.

"Oh, it's no trouble, just tell me what you need," Jonny said. Edd didn't know why Jonny was so insistent on serving Ed and him, but he wasn't about to turn down an offer of help from one of his new friends.

"Alright then, Jonny. I suppose I'll take some cantaloupe slices," Edd answered. "And, Ed... well, what would you like, Ed?" Edd asked as he looked up at Ed, who began to rub his chin.

"I'll have some chips and dip!" Ed said cheerfully before reaching for a bag of chips. Jonny swatted his hand away.

"No way, Ed, you gotta share! I'll put some on a plate for you," Jonny said before running over to another part of the table to fetch some paper plates.

Sarah stood silently in a corner of the living room with her arms crossed as she watched Nazz talk to Rolf next to the couch, Jimmy fumble around with some tapes, and Ed walk into the room with some plates of food. She wasn't sure of what to do; she figured she'd just let Jimmy handle the music, but that left her with nothing to do to keep herself busy. "Are you okay, Sarah?" Edd asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked over at Edd; he had a plate in his hand with some slices of cantaloupe on it.

"Yeah... just thinking about something is all," she answered before straightening herself up.

"I understand, I sometimes get into those trances myself," Edd answered. The two of them stood there for a second awkwardly, both of them trying to think of something to say. "Well..." Edd began, feeling that the silence between them had gone on long enough. "After I'm done with my cantaloupe... would you like to... maybe..."

"Dance?" she finished for him. Edd smiled nervously.

"Yeah, that," he answered, a little tongue-tied.

"Sure," she said before smiling up at him.

"Okay... well that sounds good... I'll just be over there with Ed, and when I'm finished we'll dance," he said quickly before walking over toward Ed, who was sitting on a chair near the boom box while chomping down on chips. Sarah looked after him, a mix of pleasure and anger swirling around in her. He wanted to dance with her. After all the times of avoiding her, even writing down in his stupid notebook that she was "short-tempered" and "easily agitated", Edd had the gall to ask her if she wanted to dance with him. And she had said yes; part of her knew it was probably because she still had some feelings for him, but she knew that she also couldn't blow her cover. She also knew, however, that she had to suck it up. It would be all worth it in the end when Edd was finally put into his place.

"Rolf enjoyed watching Nazz-girl and Jonny the wood boy dance," Rolf began as Nazz looked up at him. "It reminded Rolf of time in his old country, when-"

"How about we dance?" Nazz interrupted, finally finding the courage to ask him. "And... while we're dancing, you can tell about that time in the old country, huh?"

"Of course, and Rolf can also show you some dances from the old country! Follow Rolf!" he proclaimed before taking Nazz's arm and leading her out to the dance floor.

Edd observed Rolf and Nazz heading over to dance, and then set his gaze on the empty plate he was holding. He didn't mean to ask Sarah to dance, but he really didn't want an awkward silence between the two of them. He didn't want anything to feel awkward. But he was failing badly at it. In fact, this whole party seemed really awkward. Here he and Ed were, among former enemies who said they were tired of the hatred, and Edd was trying his best to make it work. But something just seemed off. He couldn't explain it, but everyone else, even Ed, seemed just fine with each other, so Edd had no other choice but to accept it was just him. Maybe it was still part of that thought process that always told him to never take anything at face value, and to question everything. He hated to admit it, but Eddy being here would make him feel a lot better. As if on cue, the doorbell rung. Edd sighed with relief; Eddy was here.

"So just make sure we still have some punch left over, Jonny," Kevin said. "The Kankers said there's some sort of "ingredient" they're adding, so we've gotta-" Kevin stopped talking when he heard the doorbell ring. He and Jonny, who were both standing by the snack table, looked at each other for a moment. They both knew there was a fifty-fifty chance that it was either Eddy finally arriving, or that the Kankers had finally decided to make their entrance.

"You better get that," Jonny quickly said, curiosity getting the better of him. Kevin nodded and then inhaled a big breath of air before starting to move toward the door. As he exited the kitchen and entered the living room, he saw Edd staring at the door, Ed licking his plate clean, Sarah standing in the corner, deep in thought, Jimmy looking at some tapes and dusting some of them off, and Rolf and Nazz dancing. Kevin paused for a moment, but then forced himself to ignore Nazz and Rolf, knowing he shouldn't make a scene over it, and instead continued to the door. As Kevin reached the door, he prayed that it was Eddy and not the Kankers at the door; he didn't know what the Kankers might do if Eddy didn't shown up. Hell, he himself felt like a punching a hole in the wall at the fact that Eddy hadn't shown up yet. Eddy was his main target, and only Ed and Edd were here. Kevin shook away these thoughts as reached for the doorknob, grasped it in his hand, and then turned. As the door swung open, Kevin's heart dropped like a stone; it was the Kankers.

"Hello, Kevin," Lee said slyly as she and her sisters stood side by side on the front porch. Kevin could literally hear everyone behind him stop moving and talking, the presence of the Kankers literally grinding the whole party to a halt; the only sound emanating from the house behind him was the sound of the music, which was the only thing undaunted by the three "unwelcome" guests. He knew that everyone was waiting to see what happened now... he was sure even Jonny, Sarah, and Jimmy were afraid of what would transpire now that the three had decided to make their entrance; he was sure because he was afraid as well. "Well, are you gonna invite us in?" Lee pressed as she and her sisters waited patiently.

"Uh... yeah, come on in, girls," Kevin said with a fake smile on his face. With that, Lee, Marie, and May all stepped inside one after another, and Kevin quickly shut the door behind them. As Lee expected, all eyes were them as they stood near the door, Kevin standing awkwardly behind them. She saw Nazz and Rolf standing in the middle of the room, standing side by side as they nervously watched them. Sarah observed quietly from the corner, while Jimmy stood far to her left, a tape in each of his hands as he stared over at them. She heard Jonny moving around in the kitchen, although she wasn't exactly sure what he was doing. Her eyes finally rested on the "guests of honor": Ed and Edd. Ed sat on a chair near the boom box, a chip hanging lazily out of his mouth as he stared wide-eyed at them. Edd held an empty plate in his hand, and, judging by his stance, was ready to bolt out of the room like a nervous little Chihuahua at the first sign of danger. Lee was puzzled for a moment, since she didn't see Eddy anywhere, but she decided to forget about it for now.

"Come on, girls, let's go get some snacks," Lee suggested before leading May and Marie to the kitchen, much to the surprise of the other party goers. Edd sighed with relief, and then looked over at Ed, who began to happily munch on chips again. Nazz and Rolf, although puzzled, began to whisper quietly between each other. Jimmy went back to looking through tapes, and Sarah seemed a lot more relaxed as she straightened herself out. Kevin stood over by the door, watching the Kankers as they entered the kitchen. He thanked God that the Kankers decided not to make a scene.

"Well, Ed, did you enjoy your food?" Edd asked, as he walked over to Ed, who was licking his plate clean of dip. Ed looked away for a moment to nod at him, and then returned his attention to the plate. "That's good..." Edd said before laying his plate on Ed's lap. "Ed, can you throw mine away from me?" Edd asked, knowing that he better make good on his promise to dance with Sarah. Ed looked away from his plate once again, nodded, and then went back to licking. "Thank you," Edd said quickly before turning around, collecting himself, and then walking toward Sarah. Kevin stood aimlessly by the door, unsure of what to do next, but then saw Marie in the kitchen motioning for him. Kevin looked around the room to make sure that no one was watching, and then slowly made his way toward the kitchen. As he entered, he saw Jonny standing beside the table, watching May as she gorged herself on snacks. Marie and Lee stood to the side, watching Kevin as he entered.

"Yeah, what is it?" Kevin asked, although he knew it had to do something with the plan.

"Alright you two," Lee began as she looked at Kevin and then Jonny. "I want someone to explain to me where the hell Eddy is," Lee demanded in a hushed tone. Kevin looked at Jonny, and then Jonny at him. Kevin looked back at Lee.

"Double D told me that Eddy was going to be running late... but he hasn't shown up at all," Kevin explained. Lee rubbed her chin for a second as she processed the information.

"Alright..." Lee said as she continued to plot inside of her head. "Well as much as I would've liked him to show his pretty little face, it's probably better if he ain't here," Lee confided. Kevin looked puzzled.

"Why's that?" Kevin questioned.

"You'll see," Lee answered. "But for now, we've gotta keep this party going before we make our move. We don't want to seem suspicious or anything like that." Kevin nodded in agreement.

"Well what about this 'secret ingredient' you were talking about?" Jonny asked from the other side of the snack table.

"Don't worry about that, baldy. We'll get around to that part of the plan, alright?" Lee said, Jonny nodding slowly in recognition.

"Okay, well if that's all, I've gotta get back out there before this little chat looks suspicious," Kevin said quickly before leaving the kitchen. As Kevin left the kitchen, he could see Nazz and Rolf resuming their dance, Ed had started dancing by himself again, and he could also see that, surprisingly, Edd and Sarah had started slowly dancing as well. He looked over at Jimmy with some empathy, as he could see that Jimmy was painfully watching the two of them dance; he realized that Edd and Sarah dancing to Jimmy was probably like Rolf and Nazz dancing to him. Kevin walked over to Jimmy, who, when he spotted Kevin walking toward him, quickly snapped his attention from Sarah and Edd and back to the tapes.

"Everything alright, Jimmy?" Kevin asked, hoping to strike up some kind of conversation.

"Uh... yeah, just trying to decide what to play after this one," Jimmy said quickly as he rummaged through the big stacks of tapes.

"If you say so... you just looked kind of-" Kevin stopped mid-sentence when he felt someone tap his shoulder. Kevin turned around to find Edd standing there. He looked over Edd's shoulder and could see that Sarah was walking into the kitchen.

"May I speak to you for a moment, Kevin?" Edd asked, an urgent look on his face.

"Sure," Kevin said as Edd led him over to a corner of the room. "What's up?" Kevin asked as Edd looked at him nervously.

"I was just wondering... and don't take this the wrong way... were you speaking with the Kankers in the kitchen?" Edd asked. Kevin felt a twinge of panic in his stomach at first, wondering if Edd was becoming suspicious of him, but then came up with an appropriate reply.

"Yeah... I was just making sure that they weren't gonna cause any trouble," Kevin explained as he leaned against the wall. "I could see how everyone was staring at them when they first walked in, so I had to make sure that they were going to behave nicely, you know?" Edd nodded slowly, and Kevin sighed with relief internally.

"Okay... I just... well, I just hope they keep their word," Edd said as he crossed his arms. "Regardless... if one of them tries to speak to me... I just..." Edd looked up at Kevin, who was staring at him with a thoughtful look. "Oh... never mind. I'm sure you don't want to hear my rantings. Just go enjoy the party, Kevin," Edd recommended before walking away. Kevin stared after him for a moment before sighing and then walking back over to Jimmy.

"Alright, that's enough stuffing your face, May," Marie said, tired of watching her sister gorge herself. May quickly swallowed the chips she had in her mouth, shot Marie an angry look, and then wiped her face clean.

"Fine," May said simply, not wanting to start a fight, especially not when it might ruin their plans.

"Finally, now let's go have some fun," Marie said, but Lee grabbed her shoulder before she could walk away. Marie whirled around at Lee. "What, are we not allowed to-"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying, you've got to be careful. I don't want to see you or May run out there and scare Ed or Double D away, got that?" Lee ordered. Marie, although she looked as if she was going to protest, mouthed "Whatever" while May simply nodded. "Alright, then you two can go out there, but, like I said, be careful." Lee let go of Marie's shoulder, and she and May quickly left the kitchen. Lee sighed before grabbing a plastic cup and putting some punch in it.

"Hey, I can get that for you..." Jonny said weakly from across the table. Lee just shot him a look before pouring herself some. "Or not..." Jonnys said. He then looked over at Sarah, who was staring out a window by the sink. "You okay, Sarah?"

"Yeah," Sarah muttered as she continued to stare out of the window.

Edd put his hands beneath the faucet of the sink, and began to wash them. He had thought about asking someone where the bathroom was before as a formality, but Edd managed to remember where it was from a past experience at the house. Edd turned off the spigot and then began to wipe his hands on a towel. He put the towel back down and then stared at himself in the mirror. He wasn't surprised to see a pained and worried expression on his face. He was already feeling weird about the party, and now that the Kankers were here, things just seemed even weirder. He knew there was no way the Kankers were going to behave. Sure, they had given their word, but, from experience, that usually met squat. The Kankers lied all the time, and he had no reason to believe that they weren't lying now.

Edd knew that the only thing he could do to avoid the Kankers was to sneak out of the party, but he didn't want to ruin this. Everyone was actually being friendly, and for all he knew, perhaps the Kankers were having a change of heart as well. Edd couldn't help but do a little smirk at the thought; he knew that was perhaps the most far-fetched thought he had ever conjured. Edd sighed and finally tore himself away from the mirror and walked over to the bathroom door. He grabbed the doorknob and opened it. He walked out of the bathroom, but then quickly turned back around remembering the light. His hand searched the area beside the door and finally found the switch, and he quickly flipped it off. He turned back around to make his way back to the party, but stopped cold in his tracks when he spotted someone standing down the hallway from him. It was Marie and she was looking right at him, a little smile plastered on her face.

Edd's first instinct was to run. He knew he could run into the bathroom and lock the door. Or he could shout for help; after all, there was a whole party of people downstairs who could run up and help him. But for some reason, he restrained himself. He didn't know why... or, rather, he did, but didn't understand why he was doing it. He wanted to believe that the Kankers could stay true to their word. Every fiber of his body told him to tear out of there yelping and screaming, but he forced himself to stand there and wait for Marie to make the first move. She stared at him a moment longer before beginning to walk over to him, although this walk was very unbecoming of her; usually when one of the Kankers began to walk toward him, it was a very intimidating walk, obviously meant to unnerve him. This time, however, she did no such thing, and walked very casually toward him.

"Hey, Double D," Marie said as she stopped about five feet from him. Edd's throat locked up for a second as he struggled for something to say. It was funny, really. The one time Marie simply says hello, and he doesn't know how to respond. But should he? After all, the only time Edd ever actually talked to the Kankers on a normal basis was when they first met, and, even then, the Kankers weren't exactly the easiest people to talk to, especially not Marie.

"Hello," Edd finally choked out. Marie looked like she was about to laugh, but he could see her repressing it. He probably looked like a fool to her, all tongue tied like this.

"No need to act like that, Double D," Marie said as she put her arms on her hips. "I ain't gonna bite." Edd wanted to look away from her for a moment to collect his thought, but he couldn't; their eyes were locked together, and he couldn't rip his away. He knew he wouldn't be able to go back down to the party without talking to Marie, no matter how much it pained him. And oh did it pain him. He could remember a time not too long ago when Marie had him up against a trailer, her hand traveling downwards, as she- "What's wrong?" Marie asked, thankfully interrupting his thoughts. Edd thought the question was stupid; Marie knew what was wrong, and he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was simply toying with him.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Edd said quickly before straightening up. "I just want to get back down to the party," Edd answered, although he cringed internally at how his voice sounded, all high-strung and panicked. He tried to walk past Marie, but she moved in his way.

"Hold on, Double D, can't we talk for a second?" Marie asked as she blocked his escape.

"Why?" Edd questioned.

"Hey, I just don't want this party to be awkward, alright?" Marie answered. Edd was incredulous; did she just ask what he thought she just asked? He wanted to yell at the top of his lungs, but he resisted the urge.

"Tell me," Edd said, trying to force himself to stay calm. "How can this party not be awkward?" Edd asked as he stared at Marie, her smirk now gone and replace by a thin line. Marie's eyes finally shifted from his looked off into the distance. It was obvious that she didn't know how to answer the question; how could she? They both knew that after what Marie and her sisters had put the Eds through, things would never be normal between them.

"Just go," Marie finally said before moving out of his way. Edd sighed before walking past Marie, who leaned against the wall of the hallway and watched as he walked back toward the party. Marie smiled before walking back toward the party as well.

Jimmy watched Edd as he walked across the room and stopped short of Ed, who was twirling around in the middle of the room in a passionate frenzy of dancing and mayhem. He was seething with anger at Edd. He knew he had to keep the anger pent up and out of his outward expression, but it was hard, especially since Edd had laid his hands on Sarah and danced with her. He knew he shouldn't be jealous; after all, he knew Sarah probably had no choice or else she would seem suspicious, but he just couldn't stop himself. He felt like it should be out there dancing with Sarah and having a good time and not Edd.

"Hey, what's-your-face, let's dance," someone cooed at Jimmy, a hand roughly grabbing his shoulder. Jimmy turned around to see it was Marie, and she was grinning widely. Jimmy went wide-eyed.

"D-dance?" Jimmy asked awkwardly choking up.

"Sure, why not? You ain't scared, are ya?" Marie asked as she slit her eyes at him, although only one of them was visible. Jimmy didn't know why Marie was asking him to dance, as he certainly didn't remember that being a part of the plan, but he was scared to think of how she would react if he said no.

"Uh... okay?" Jimmy chirped out before Marie yanked him away from the tapes and toward the dance floor, where Rolf and Nazz danced and Ed spun around like a madman.

Edd, who had been watching Ed dance while giggling, was distracted when he spotted Marie leading Jimmy roughly by the arm out to the dance floor. Edd looked on in confusion as Jimmy danced awkwardly with Marie, obviously scared and confused; probably much more than Edd was at the sight. He also spotted May laughing at Jimmy's horrid dancing from the corner of the room, and couldn't help but laugh a little himself. He began to feel a bit better about tonight. He didn't know why, but the Kankers were seeming a bit more... human. Edd realized that for the four years that he had known the Kankers, they hadn't ever felt like people to him. He had always thought of them more like some sort of evil force that had plagued his life, through both day and night. But here they were, acting goofy and appearing to have a good time that didn't include harming others. Then again, he supposed Marie asking Jimmy to dance probably wasn't done with the most charitable of spirits mind, but it was definitely a start.

"Hand me a cup, will ya, Jonny?" Sarah ordered, waiting impatiently on the other side of the kitchen table.

"Sure," Jonny said quickly before picking up a paper cup and handing it to Sarah, who snatched it out of his hand and began to fill it with punch. Sarah stopped pouring her punch when she heard people laughing in the other room. She and Jonny looked at each other before leaving their posts in the kitchen and heading into the main room to check it out. As they entered the room, the first thing they spotted was Marie and Jimmy dancing, and boy was it a sight; Jimmy was blushing a bright red as Marie swung him every which way and shook herself to the beat of the music. Rolf and Nazz were still dancing but couldn't take their eyes off of Jimmy and Marie and couldn't wipe the smiles off of their faces. Edd, Kevin, May, and Lee, who had left the kitchen shortly before Sarah and Jimmy did, were all watching in amusement as well. In fact, the only person who wasn't watching them was Ed, who was still dancing in a world of his own.

"You go, Jimmy!" Jonny called out, causing everyone to laugh and Jimmy to blush harder and try to avoid people's stares. Although Sarah couldn't help but laugh herself, she did feel bad for Jimmy; she had to repress her protective instinct to run out and tell everyone to stop laughing and go get a life.

Jonny jumped a little when someone grabbed his hand and gave it a tug; it was May, and she was trying to pull him toward the dance floor. "Whoa, I don't wanna dance!" Jonny cried.

"I don't want Marie and that little guy to have all the fun! Come on, let's tango!" May said cheerfully before forcing Jonny out to the dance floor with her, although Jonny tried his best to resist. Sarah repressed a laugh as she watched May drag Jonny into the fray and join her sister in making fools out of themselves, as well as Jimmy and Jonny. Sarah suddenly felt weird; almost everyone was dancing, save for her, Kevin, Edd, and Lee. Sarah knew what she had to do. She ran over to Edd, who was busy watching everyone dance in a huge frenzy in the middle of the room.

"Hey, Double D, let's get back to dancing!" Sarah said excitedly as she gripped Edd's hand tightly. Edd looked down at her a second, as if still processing exactly what she had said to him.

"Oh... I suppose I can't say no to such enthusiasm," Edd said, a smile on his face, before being led out to dance with everyone else. Kevin watched in amazement as everyone but him was dancing. Sarah and Edd were dancing in a rather dorky fashion, Ed was pretty much winging it, Rolf and Nazz and danced slowly, May and Jonny danced like maniacs, and Marie continued to toss Jimmy around like a rag doll. Kevin felt someone creep up next him, and looked over to see Lee with a devious smirk on her face. Kevin's face dropped.

"Oh hell no, we are not dancing," Kevin responded to a question that hadn't even been asked.

"Everyone else is doing it; you don't wanna disappoint them, do ya?" Lee asked, as she extended her arm. Kevin looked from Lee's face, to her hand, and then back to her face. The last thing he wanted to do was dance with Lee in front of Nazz. But he knew there was no way to worm out of it, so he sighed and grabbed her hand.

"Fine," Kevin muttered as Lee led him to the dance floor with the others.

The house echoed with loud, blaring music as everyone danced in a huge mass of bodies in the huge living room of the house. Nazz and Rolf danced off to the left, Nazz staring up at Rolf's face as he danced with her, although he was trying his best avoid eye contact. Jimmy and Marie, hands clasped together, danced next to them, although Marie was the one in control; every move she made, she twisted her hands with her, moving Jimmy around like a puppet on strings. May and Jonny danced freely around each other, both of them smiling; Jonny never thought he'd see the day when he'd be happy to dance with a Kanker. Edd and Sarah danced in a much more proper manner, the two of them twirling around each other gracefully to the beat of the music; Edd thanked his parents for those dance classes that seemed so unnecessary at the time. Lee and Kevin danced awkwardly like Marie and Jimmy, Kevin obviously hating every moment of it. Ed, oblivious to everything and everyone, continued his own dancing, seeming to dance with an invisible partner that no one could see. One thing was clear, however; this was the first time everyone in the cul-de-sac had ever been getting along so well since they had all met each other. Everyone save for one person, that was.

* * *

Eddy sat on his front porch, staring up at the stars. His eyes wandered between each sparkling dot of light, trying to make some sense of them; he looked for some sort of pattern, rhyme, or reason, but he found none. Sure, he had spotted some constellations, such as the Big Dipper, but he never really did get what the hell some of the constellations were supposed to be. He wasn't really sure why it was called the Big Dipper; it looked more like a ladle to him. Or maybe a dipper was another name for a ladle. It didn't really seem important to him either way; looking at the stars was just something his body was doing while his mind thought about what was going on up the street from the cul-de-sac. He had tried his best not to think about it and just get through the rest of the day until he fell asleep, but his consciousness wouldn't stop hounding him for not going.

He heard a voice inside of him yelling at him, screaming at him for not going. It was berating him, telling him that he wasn't a real friend. That he should be there with Ed and Edd, soaking up every second of their new life with them. He yelled back at the voice, informing him that perhaps Ed and Edd weren't real friends. Edd didn't tell Eddy that the Kankers were coming, after all. The voice didn't take that lying down, and quickly rationalized that perhaps Edd did the right thing; maybe Edd knew himself that Eddy would never come if the Kankers were there. Maybe Edd was just desperate to make sure that he didn't crawl back into his little shell of isolation. Eddy, fed up with the voice, and, fearing that he might be right, told it to fuck off and then shut it away. Eddy stood up and went back inside of his house and shut the door quietly behind himself.

* * *

"Hey, Nazz, Rolf, come here for a second," Kevin called over to Nazz and Rolf, who were talking to each other by the door. Everyone had danced for an exhausting thirty minutes, and had now dispersed to chill out, chat, and enjoy the music. Nazz and Rolf walked over to Kevin, who was standing with Sarah and Jonny.

"What's up, Kev?" Nazz asked, a radiant smile on her face.

"Well, first off, I gotta ask if you were enjoying the party so far," Kevin responded.

"Of course, it's been great... it's awesome to see everyone getting along so well," Nazz answered. She was completely serious too; it was insane to see just about everyone in the cul-de-sac together and having a great time, especially the Kankers.

"Totally... except there's one person missing," Kevin said as he looked over at Sarah and Jimmy. Nazz looked confused for a moment, but then realization washed over her.

"Eddy," she blurted out.

"Yeah, Double D told me was going to be running late, but he hasn't shown up at all. I'm staring to think that he... well... isn't going to show up at all," Kevin explained as Rolf and Nazz listened closely.

"I think so too... after all, the party has been going on for a while now... but what are we going to do about it?" Nazz inquired.

"Well, I was talking about it with Sarah and Jonny, and we're thinking that maybe someone should go and get him. You know, see what's up with him," Kevin laid out as he crossed his arms.

"That's not a bad idea... are we going to, like, take a vote on it or something?" Nazz asked.

"Actually, I thought maybe you two should go," Kevin said. Nazz and Rolf looked at each other before returning their gaze to Kevin.

"Why us specifically?" Nazz questioned, a little confused.

"I don't know... I guess I think that maybe you two might be able to get Eddy to open up and come on down," Kevin explained.

"What about the other two Ed-boys? Would they not be better at relating to the no-show Ed-boy than Nazz-girl and Rolf?" Rolf inquired.

"See, here's the thing," Sarah began, "we were thinking the same thing, but then we figured that they've been trying for a while to get Eddy to open up and talk to everyone. So we thought that you guys were the next best people we had. You guys don't really have any the... um... baggage that we all have with Eddy," Sarah explained, Nazz and Rolf nodding as they listened.

"That... that actually makes sense in a way," Nazz responded before sighing. "Well, I guess if you guys want Eddy down here that badly, then I can't say no," Nazz said before looking up at Rolf. "What about you, Rolf? You wanna tag along and go get Eddy?"

"Of course, Rolf is ready to fetch the isolated Ed-boy and bring him to this festival of merriment," Rolf answered with a smile on his face.

"Thanks guys, I knew I could count on you," Kevin said as he gave them a thumbs up. "Besides, I'm sure Ed and Double D will be happy to see him when he show up."

"Good point... well, I guess we'll be back in a jiffy," Nazz said quickly as she and Rolf headed for the door. Kevin watched them as they opened the front door and then left. Kevin sighed before turning back to Jonny and Sarah. "Alright you two, listen up. Sarah, you stay here and just act normal, talk to Ed, Double D, or Jimmy, just don't do anything suspicious."

Sarah nodded slowly before saying, "Alright."

"Good... and Jonny, you come with me, we're going to the kitchen," Kevin ordered. With that, Sarah walked over to Jimmy, who was leaning against the wall near the tapes, while Kevin and Jonny started for the kitchen. Before they could reach the kitchen, however, Edd stepped out in front them

"Er, excuse me, Kevin," Edd said as Kevin and Jonny stopped in their tracks.

"Yeah, what is it?" Kevin asked.

"I was just wondering where Nazz and Rolf ran off to? I thought I saw them leaving through the front door... they aren't going home yet, are they?" Edd asked.

"Uh... well... no... if you really wanna know, I sent them off to go get Eddy," Kevin explained.

"To go get Eddy? Well, Kevin, Ed and I could've gone and convinced Eddy to come to the party. It would've been no trouble" Edd answered.

"Yeah, I know, but I figured that you and Ed had already tried to get Eddy to come to the party, and he didn't show up, so I thought that maybe Nazz and Rolf might have better luck," Kevin clarified as Edd began to nod slowly.

"I have to say, Kevin, that actually makes more sense than I ever could've imagined... well, I do hope that Nazz and Rolf are successful. We've all had such a great time so far, and I was hoping in the back of my mind that Eddy might eventually show up to join in on it," Edd responded.

"Exactly," Kevin said before smiling at him. "Anyway, Jonny and me were gonna go grab some more punch," Kevin explained before looking off behind Edd. "And... I think you might want to keep a watch on Ed," Kevin pointed out, causing Edd to turn around; Ed was nibbling on the couch, drool and spittle sliding down the sides of it.

"Oh dear... Ed, that's so unsanitary!" Edd cried out before running over to stop him. Kevin and Jonny seizing the chance, quickly resumed their journey to the kitchen while Edd was distracted. Kevin and Jonny entered the kitchen to find the Kankers waiting for them by the refreshment table.

"Alright, so what's next?" Kevin asked, eager to get the plan going.

"First thing's first, did you get rid of blondie and farmer?" Lee asked.

"Yeah, we got rid of Nazz and Rolf," Kevin responded, putting extra emphasis on their names.

"Good, then that means it's on to phase two..." Lee began as she motioned for Kevin and Jonny to follow them to an adjacent room to the kitchen.

"Ed, now promise me you won't try to sample the couch again," Edd scolded as Ed looked up at him with a dumb smile on his face.

"Okay, Double D, I promise not to nibble it again," Ed said before smiling dumbly.

"And that also means no biting or swallowing it whole, alright?" Edd added.

"Aw, but I thought that would be cool! If I swallowed the couch, then people would sit on me, and I could be all comfy and stuff," Ed explained, although it probably only made sense to him.

"Ed, please, if you need something to eat, I could just take you to the snack room," Edd said as Ed stood up. Sarah and Jimmy, who were over by the stereo, heard Ed and Edd's conversation and looked over at them with panicked expressions on their faces.

"Alright, Double D, off to the refueling station we go!" Ed exclaimed as they started for the kitchen.

"Hey, Double D, come here for a second!" Sarah called out to Edd, who turned around.

"You go ahead, Double D, I'll get my own food!" Ed said before attempting to continue on. Edd stopped him, however.

"I don't think so, Ed, I'm afraid I can't trust you in there on your own. We should go see what your sister wants together, and then we'll go get snacks," Edd expounded.

"Okey dokey," Ed answered as the two of them walked over to Sarah and Jimmy.

"You wanted to talk to me, Sarah?" Edd asked as he and Ed stopped in front of Sarah and Jimmy.

"Yeah... I just wanted to thank you for the dance," Sarah said before smiling.

"Oh... well... yes, no problem Sarah... I enjoyed dancing with you as well," Edd answered.

"And I enjoyed dancing with me!" Ed exclaimed before wrapping his arms around himself in a hug. Edd giggled, and Sarah and Jimmy chimed in.

"Yeah, Ed, you sure were something out there," Jimmy teased before laughing.

"So were you and Marie!" Ed teased back, causing Edd and Sarah to laugh again and Jimmy to blush. Kevin and Jonny suddenly walked back into the room from the kitchen, a tray of plastic cups filled with punch on it in Kevin's hands.

"What's that for?" Ed asked out of curiosity as the Kankers joined the group from the kitchen as well.

"Well, Eddy, Nazz, and Rolf ain't here yet, but I figured we'd go ahead and have a round of drinks between all of us to celebrate this party," Kevin began as he held the tray of twelve drinks steady. When Jimmy saw Kevin enter the room, he reached over and quickly turned down the stereo. "I was thinking about how much fun we all had tonight, and it made me want to do something special, so we're all going to have a toast to friendship," Kevin declared before motioning the tray toward Ed and Edd. Ed and Edd observed the juice cups; each one of them had the name of a kid, and the two on the end read 'Ed' and 'Edd' on them. "Go ahead, everyone, take your drink," Kevin said. With that, everyone grabbed their cups off of the tray, including Kevin, who, once the tray only had three drinks left, sat them down on the couch. Everyone held their cups in their hand, waiting for Kevin to say something. "To friendship," Kevin said as everyone lifted their cups. Kevin brought his to his lips as everyone else did; he watched Ed and Edd nervously as they brought their cups to their mouths and both took big gulps. He could see everyone else in the room watching as well, unbeknownst to Ed and Edd.

"Refreshing," Edd quipped as everyone finished their drinks.

"Alright, now that that little formality is over, everyone can get back to partying," Kevin said as he collected the tray and began back toward the kitchen. Ed turned around and began to talk to Sarah and Jimmy, and Jonny walked over to join them. The Kankers all talked quietly in the corner, giggling every once in a while. Edd, feeling strange, sat down on the couch. He didn't know why, but his mouth felt dry. He felt like he needed more punch, even though he had just drank a whole cup of it, almost in one gulp. Edd shrugged and then stood back up and made his way to the kitchen.

As Edd entered the kitchen, he saw Kevin setting the tray on a counter, three cups still sitting on it. "Hey, Kevin," Edd greeted as he entered the kitchen.

"Hey, Double D, did you want something to eat?" Kevin asked as he turned toward him.

"No... I just wanted more punch, actually," Edd explained quickly as he reached for the punch ladle.

"I bet it feels strange to get punch for yourself, especially when Jonny used to be behind the table hounding everyone about it," Kevin joked as he leaned against the counter.

"Indeed, although I'm sure Jonny just wanted to be helpful," Edd replied as he filled up his cup with punch. Edd put the ladle back into the bowl and took a little sip of his punch. "Anyway, I better get back out there and make sure Ed isn't up to anything..." Edd said quickly before turning around and leaving the kitchen with his punch. Edd took another sip as he entered the main room, he was relieved to see that Ed was still talking to Jimmy and Sarah. He was glad he didn't have to entertain Ed at the moment, as he was feeling a bit heavy at the moment, as if something was trying to pull him to the ground. Edd walked over to the couch and sat down for a breather.

"Hey, Double D, can we go get me some snacks now?" Ed asked as he leaned over the couch.

"Not now, Ed... perhaps Sarah and Jimmy can get you some," Edd suggested as he looked up at Ed, although his eyes were straining unusually hard at the ceiling.

"Alright," Ed said cheerfully before running back over to Sarah and Jimmy. "Hey, can you guys take me to get some snacks? Double D says I'll make a mess without someone with me," Ed explained quickly.

"Sure, Ed..." Sarah began. "...but I was thinking that you've had way too many snacks tonight."

"There's a such thing as too many?" Ed asked, confused.

"Sure, I mean, Jimmy and me still wanted to some, and you already ate a whole bunch tonight," Sarah pointed out as Ed rubbed his chin in thought at the prospect.

"But my fuel tank is almost empty, Sarah," Ed responded urgently.

"Well, you can still have punch; there's plenty of that to go around," Sarah suggested.

"Then punch it is, space cadets!" Ed answered as Sarah led him to the kitchen, Jimmy following quickly behind them.

"Oh dear..." Edd muttered to himself as he blinked a few times. He moved his head to the side, and it felt like it was rushing at light speed; not only that, but everything felt fuzzy. Edd didn't know what was going on, but he still felt so heavy, as if gravity had suddenly doubled around him.

"Double D, you alright?" a voice asked from beside him. Edd lolled his head to the side, the rushing even more intense now; for some reason, it made him want to laugh, but he repressed it. He saw Marie standing next to the couch and looking down at him, although she seemed fuzzy around the edges in his vision.

"Uh..." Edd began, trying to collect his thoughts, which seemed jumbled and strewn about. "Yeah, I think so," Edd said as his vision cleared and he could see Marie a little better. Marie moved around him and sat down beside him on the couch.

"You sure? Cause you seem a little under the weather," Marie pointed out as she leaned her head on the back of the couch. Edd usually felt uncomfortable around Marie; heck, he could still remember earlier in the hallway, although that memory felt faint and far away. Now, however, he felt more confident than usual, and his normal instincts seemed to be overridden by some exterior force.

"I'm fine... really," Edd lied as he tried to concentrate and beat back whatever had taken him over, to no avail.

"Come on, I can tell something's up. Maybe some more punch will make you feel better?" Marie suggested as she pointed to his empty punch cup.

"Oh... well... perhaps... but... well... I... I don't really know if I feel up to walking all the way back to the kitchen," Edd stumbled around as he searched for the appropriate words. Marie gave him a little smile.

"I can get you some more if you want me to," Marie offered.

"Well... thank you," Edd answered before handing the cup to Marie who quickly got off of the couch.

"Be right back, pumpkin," Marie said seductively before slinking off to the kitchen. Edd turned his head, albeit slowly, to watch her walk off. Edd, who usually was clear in mind and thought, found his brain clouded and diluted, as if some murky waters had distilled his thinking abilities.

He hoped Marie was right, and that some punch would make him feel better. Despite Edd's diluted thoughts, he managed to think about what had transpired the past few weeks, especially between him and Marie; from the incident at Rolf's, to Marie trying to grab him, to him punching her square in the jaw, to their chase in the forest, and their talk in the hallway, it all seemed to past by like a blur in his mind. In his diluted thought processes, it started to make sense. Perhaps Marie was ready to join the others and accept the Eds as well, not as objects to be tortured but as people to be treated with respect. He hoped so, because his brain was drifting away from those thoughts and he couldn't seem to control it.

"There you go, Double D," Marie said as she returned with some punch and handed it to him.

"Thank you," Edd answered as Marie returned to her seat next to him. He took a sip from the punch before turning to face Marie who was staring at him with a smirk on her face. "Er... what... what's wrong, do I have something on me?" Edd asked as he looked down at himself, afraid that his current state had caused him to spill some punch on himself.

"Naw... you look great," Marie purred as she rested her head on her hand. "Listen, Double D... about earlier..." Marie started as Edd took another sip from his punch. "I just wanted things to be alright between us. I know I might've made you mad, but I'm really trying to be nice and treat you better," Marie explained as Edd nodded groggily. Edd's brain took a few seconds longer than usual to process what Marie had said to him, and even then it felt like it was being dragged down out of his brain.

"It's... fine, you know," Edd began as he squeezed his eyes tight for a second, trying to shake away all the clouds in his head. "I might've been a little rude myself to you earlier... it's just hard to forget... that sort... kind of... things," Edd finally put together as Marie nodded slowly. She stared at him thoughtfully for a moment as she plotted in her head what to say next.

"Well I'm glad we understand each other, Double D," Marie responded before laying her hand on his knee. "If you need anything, just call," Marie added before standing up and walking back toward her sisters. Edd smiled a little bit himself, feeling even better know. Now even Marie Kanker, a person who literally haunted his nightmares, was acting friendly toward him. It was almost too good to be true. Edd stared down at his cup and saw that there was still punch inside. He sighed and drank up the last of it, hoping to cure himself of whatever ailment had beset him.

* * *

"I hope he's awake," Nazz said to Rolf as Eddy's house finally came into view. The two of them had been walking up the street for about five minutes, and had finally made it to Eddy's house. They both knew, however, that whatever battle they would have to fight to get Eddy to come with them might take even longer.

"Then let us exchange words with the Ed-boy and convince him to join us in our festival of-"

"Merriment?" Nazz finished for him as she looked up at Rolf. "You know, you could just call it a party."

"A party?" Rolf inquired as the two of them began to move toward Eddy's house, which was oddly missing the car of his parents. "But Rolf is not speaking of the groups of men that stalk animals in the night for fresh food and pelts." Nazz giggled a little and Rolf remained confused as the two of them approached Eddy's porch. Although the porch light was off, light shone through the windows. The two of them stopped on Eddy's porch for a moment, planning their next move.

"Well, I guess I should knock," Nazz finally said before lifting her hand and knocking on Eddy's door. There was silence for a moment, and then they heard movement coming toward the door.

"Geeze, you guys forgot your keys again?" Eddy's voice rang from the other side of the door. Nazz and Rolf stood patiently as they heard Eddy unlocking the door on the other side. The doorknob turned and the door began to swing open. "You guys should start hiding a spare under the-" Eddy stopped talking when he spotted Nazz and Rolf instead of who he expected to see. Eddy just stared at them for moment, as if still trying to make sense of the sight. "Mom, Dad, you guys sure did lose a lot of weight," Eddy said flatly, a frown on his face. It was obvious Eddy wasn't happy to see them.

"Hey... Eddy," Nazz greeted, trying to tread softly. Eddy looked from Rolf and then to Nazz.

"What, did Double D send you guys cause he was too much of a pussy to come himself?" Eddy asked bluntly. Nazz sighed.

"No, Eddy, Kevin asked us to come down here," Nazz answered as she crossed her arms.

"Well looks like old shovel chin wasted your time, cause I'm not going," Eddy said as he started to close the door.

"Wait," Rolf said as he stopped Eddy from closing the door with his arm. "Rolf knows not why the short Ed-boy refuses to join his friends in making fools of themselves, but he will not give up so easily on this task," Rolf quickly said as Eddy tried to close the door, but found it impossible due to the strength difference between him and Rolf.

"Fine then, you guys can come on in and babble on about how much you guys want me there, but I know it's a bunch of bull," Eddy shot back before walking away from the door in a huff. Nazz followed him inside and Rolf quickly joined her, shutting the door quietly behind him. Eddy hopped onto his couch and laid back, ready to brace himself for whatever crap Nazz and Rolf tried on him. Nazz and Rolf stopped next to the couch and looked down at Eddy, who had a fuming look on his face.

"Eddy," Nazz began as she let her arms dangle at her sides. "I don't know why you're acting like this... one second you're on the phone telling me about going to the party, and now Rolf and I are standing here trying to bring you to the same party you said you were going to!" Nazz scolded, obviously a bit angry herself at him. She didn't know why Eddy was acting this way; if there was some reason he couldn't go to the party, she would understand, but right now he just seemed to be trying to draw attention to himself by being a complete tool. Eddy glared up at her.

"Look, you just wouldn't understand," Eddy answered calmly. "Now... now just go back to the party without me." Nazz huffed as Eddy turned away from her again and just started staring at the wall.

"Ed-boy, why not tell Rolf what troubles you so?" Rolf suggested as he stepped forward. "Rolf knows many treatments from the old country that might cure you of your shyness. In fact, Rolf-"

"Can it, Rolf," Eddy interrupted. "I don't give a nickel about your stupid treatments, and it's sure as hell not shyness that's keeping from that lame party." Nazz looked up at Rolf, who had a defeated look on his face. Nazz knew she had to try a different approach.

"Eddy, you're missing out," Nazz began as she walked over to the couch and sat down next to Eddy, who moved slightly away from her. "You... you should've seen all of us... we were all laughing, having a good time... we even all danced together," Nazz recalled with a smile on her face. She saw Eddy's face lose a little of its hardness. "And Ed and Double D... they're enjoying themselves so much. They were laughing and dancing right along with us," Nazz continued as she looked at Eddy, who was trying to avoid her gaze. Eddy pondered Nazz's words for a few moments. Fun? Dancing? Laughing? It didn't sound real. It sounded as if Nazz was describing some kind of fantasy to him. There was no way all those things had transpired, especially not with the Kankers there.

"But..." Eddy said softly as he looked at her. "What about... well what about the Kankers?" Eddy asked. "Did they not show up or something?"

"Actually... they did show up," Nazz answered, causing Eddy to gulp, although he didn't know why; his greatest fear was that the Kankers had gone to the party and spread the word about the relationship between Eddy and them, but it was obvious that no such thing had happened, as he was sure that Nazz would've brought it up when he mentioned them. "And they actually didn't act up... they were dancing and laughing too." Eddy gave her an strange look, one that was a mix of confusion and denial.

"No way..." Eddy muttered as he turned his gaze away from Nazz and off into the distance. She couldn't be telling the truth. There was no way. Not only were Ed and Edd having the time of their lives, but May, Marie, and Lee were too? It was impossible. There was no way in hell that was true. Getting along with the other cul-de-sac kids was one thing, but the Kankers got along with no one, and no one got along with the Kankers. They had to be up to something.

"So now do you want to go to the party with us, Eddy?" Nazz asked, looking at him with renewed hope in her eyes. Eddy returned her look. He knew what he had to do now.

"Yeah... yeah, I'll go with you guys," Eddy answered, giving a weak smile. Nazz sighed with relief, and Rolf nodded in approval. "Just let me go make myself presentable and we'll go." With that, Eddy got up and walked off toward his room, leaving Nazz and Rolf to congratulate each other on their success. As Eddy walked toward his room, his mind raced. It was one thing if the Kankers had simply walked in and destroyed Eddy's reputation right then and there, but it was something completely different if the Kankers had walked into the party and acted like normal, non-sadistic people. They were obviously up to something. Eddy could buy Sarah, maybe even Kevin, having a change of heart, but the Kankers changing their heart over night was impossible. Just the other day, Marie and May had him pinned down in the forest, having their way with him. They were up to something that involved even more than him. And he knew he had to go to the party to protect the only two true friends he had ever had before the Kankers got their slimy hands on them.


	16. And Cry Softly

**Author's Note: **_And as a bonus... two chapters in one update! Originally chapters fifteen and sixteen were both one chapter, but I decided to break it into two. Enjoy._

* * *

"The tank is definitely full," Ed said as he patted his belly and walked out of the kitchen. He had drank quite a bit of punch, about six cups worth, and was now ready to get back to party. He spotted Edd sitting on the couch holding his head, and decided he wanted to talk to him. As he took a step forward, however, his footing felt unsure. He didn't know why, but the the room seemed to be tilting slightly around him, and it felt like an invisible weight was sitting on his shoulders. Even weirder, he felt really goofy, goofier than usual that is. Every step he took toward Edd made him want to giggle a little. Edd looked up at Ed, who was walking haphazardly toward him, his great bulk tilting side to side every step.

"Ed, are you okay?" Edd asked, although the question seemed a little odd since he himself was feeling very strange.

"Oh yeah, Double D, but my gyro-stabilizers are just a little out of alignment," Ed informed Edd, who just looked at him in a hazy confusion. Ed sat down next to Edd, and the two of them watched the room spin around them.

"I don't feel so good..." Edd muttered as he leaned over the side of the couch, feeling sick to his stomach.

"It's okay, Double D, I can rub your feet for you to make you feel like a new man," Ed responded, as he stared up at the ceiling. He started giggling quietly as he enjoyed the rushing sensation that permeated his senses as he turned his head lightly side to side. Edd looked up when he saw legs walking toward him; it was Kevin, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny.

"Hey, are you guys alright?" Kevin asked, concern in his voice. Edd sat up and sighed.

"Uh... I'm not sure... I think Ed and I are feeling a little... under the... sick," Edd said, piecing together coherent sentences getting more difficult as time went on.

"Hmm... well, tell you what," Kevin began as he crossed his arms. "Nazz and Rolf are taking a little longer than I expected to go get Eddy, so how about we just do one more thing and we'll walk you guys home," Kevin suggested as he looked down at the woozy Edd.

"That sounds fine... I suppose... but what is this last thing we're going to do?" Edd asked. Ed turned his attention away from the swirling ceiling and toward Kevin, also curious to find out what was in store for them.

"Well, we all got something special for you, Ed, and Eddy, but I guess just you and Ed can go down and see it since Eddy ain't here," Kevin explained.

"Something special... for us?" Edd asked in an upbeat yet slurred tone. "Okay... but what do you mean by 'go down and see it'?" Edd asked as he and Ed stood up. When Edd got to his feet, he almost fell backwards, but Ed was luckily there to stand him back up.

"We put it down in the basement where all those weird mirrors were," Jimmy said. "We didn't want to keep up here where you guys might see it, after all."

"Makes sense to me," Edd answered quickly, hating how his speech was starting to slur together.

"I wanna see the special surprise," Ed chimed in, his excitement getting the better of him.

"You will, Ed, just follow us," Sarah responded as she and Kevin led the way. Jonny and Jimmy walked over to Ed and Edd and offered support for them to walk.

"Thank you, Jonny," Edd whispered as Jonny took Edd's arm, put it around his shoulders, and started to help him walk.

"No problem, friend," Jonny answered.

"Let me help you out, Ed," Jimmy said as he took a hold of Ed and helped him walk after the others.

"Jimmy cracked corn, and I have hair," Ed muttered incoherently.

"What about the Kankers?" Edd asked as they approached the door to the basement. "Are they going to go see this with us?"

"Nah, they said they'd just chill out in the kitchen and eat some food," Kevin responded as he twisted the doorknob on the basement door and swung it open. Kevin moved out of the way and let Jonny and Jimmy lead Ed and Edd in first. The basement wasn't as well lit as the first and last time Edd had ever been in the house; although it was pretty dark, he could make out some of the mirrors that that the Eds had stared at themselves in so long ago.

Edd stared down into the darkness of the basement with a confused look on his face before turning to Kevin. "Uh... Kevin... are you sure... um... do you know for certain that whatever you guys got for us is down here?" Edd asked.

"Yeah, but the light isn't very good, so it's going to be kind of dark. Don't worry, though, Jimmy and Jonny can lead you down there safely," Kevin assured Edd as he motioned for everyone to go down the wooden stairs and into the dark basement. Jimmy and Jonny began to help Ed and Edd as they started their descent down the stairs. The old wooden steps creaked after each step, and the four of them had to be careful to keep their weight balanced, lest they fell through the old stairs. After Jimmy and Jonny had successfully led Ed and Edd down into the basement, Kevin and Sarah started down the stairs after them, gently closing the basement door behind them, leaving only dim light from an old dusty bulb to light the room.

"You think you can stand on your own now, Double D?" Jonny asked.

"I think so..." Edd mumbled. Jonny let go of him, and Edd found the strength to stand on his own. Jimmy let go of Ed, who was standing next to Edd, and he managed to stay on his feet as well. Kevin walked up to Ed and Edd, who found themselves swaying back and forth.

"Where's the surprise?" Ed asked as he looked around the dimly lit basement. Kevin walked up to the two Eds, drew his arms around their shoulders, and turned them around to face the mirrors.

"Don't worry big guy, your surprise is coming up," Kevin explained before turning his attention to the reflections of Ed, Edd, and himself. "Now... let me ask you guys something... what do you guys see in that mirror?" Kevin asked. Ed and Edd looked at their reflections. Edd was confused. He had no idea what was going on here, and he failed to see how mirrors could possibly be part of the surprise. Then again, this could all be some sort of hallucination; he was so out of it, it was hard to tell what was real anymore. It was hard to think straight, the rushing feeling still making him feel giggly, so he found it difficult to answer Kevin's question.

"Uh... are we supposed to see something other than ourselves?" Edd asked as he turned to his head to look at Kevin, hoping that Kevin would simply say what they were supposed to see to save himself the strain on his clouded mind.

"Well-"

"I see friends!" Ed exclaimed as he pointed at their reflections and looked down at Kevin. Edd watched as Kevin smiled at Ed's answer.

"Friends, huh? Well that's nice," Kevin said as he patted Ed on the back. "But you wanna know what I see?" Kevin asked as he looked up and at Ed and then at Edd. Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny tensed up behind the three of them, preparing themselves.

"What?" Edd asked as he returned Kevin's smile. "What do you see?"

"I see..." Kevin began. Suddenly, Kevin grabbed Ed and Edd tightly by their collars, the cloth from their shirts bunching up into his fists. "... a couple motherfucking pieces of shit!" Kevin screamed with as much rage as could muster before yanking Ed and Edd to the side and letting go of their collars. Ed and Edd went stumbling into the darkness of the basement, which quickly engulfed them as they went on their crash course. Edd, who was still trying to grab onto something to stop himself from falling, suddenly felt his shins hit something rubbery, causing him to trip up. He closed his eyes tightly, expecting to hit the hard floor of the basement, but instead felt his entire body turn ice cold as he was engulfed by some sort of liquid. The shock of the cold and the liquid made him squirm around a bit at first, splashing around, but his arms quickly found some strength and he was able to push his body out of the liquid. He gasped for air as his head exited the liquid. Whatever it was that he was covered in, it wasn't water; it was sliding off of him slowly but was mostly sticking to his clothes and body.

"Help, it's eating me!" Ed yelped from beside Edd as he splashed around in the liquid. Edd reached out into the dark and grabbed Ed by the shirt and tried to control him.

"Ed, stop, please!" Edd yelled, trying to calm down the raging boy. Ed suddenly sat up and stared at Edd, whose face he could barely make out in the dark. Edd realized that whatever the liquid was, it was only a little more than ankle deep, although they were kneeling in it.

"Wha... what happened, Double D?" Ed asked, his speech slurred.

"I don't-"

"Here's your surprise!" Sarah called out from behind them. As Ed and Edd swished around in the liquid to look, a bright light suddenly filled their eyes, and made them cry out in pain. Ed stuck his hands in front of his eyes and squeezed them shut, while Edd looked away and squeezed his eyes shut as well. Edd wanted to open his eyes to see what was going on, but the light had hurt them so badly, not to mention that everything still felt heavy. Even worse, his brain was now pounding and his stomach was turning itself over in knots. Edd flicked his eyes, and started to squint, trying to adjust his eyes to the light without looking directly at it. He could see something written on the wall behind them, but he couldn't make out what it said.

As Edd's eyes started to come into focus and get more used to the light, he heard Ed say in a puzzled voice, "Mud?" This caused Edd to look down and see that Ed was right; they were indeed kneeling in mud. Edd realized that it was actually a pool of mud, and that the mud was contained in Sarah's old kiddie pool. The mud shifted around Ed and he, still disturbed by their landing; the mud wasn't very thick, obviously having been diluted by water. Despite this, Edd could see that he was covered in the mud, from head to toe. He looked over at Ed and could see that he too had the mud all over him. Edd, his slow and clouded mind finally catching up with reality, realized that this definitely was not the kind of surprise he had expected.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here," Kevin said from across the room. Ed and Edd, their eyes finally adjusted to the room, looked slowly toward the light, trying to locate Kevin. They could see a bright white circle that the light was emanating from; it was obviously some sort of handheld, high quality flashlight that had been pointed toward them. They then spotted Kevin, Sarah, Jonny, and Jimmy standing next to the flashlight. Jonny was holding the flashlight, keeping it steady on the two of them. Sarah stood next to Kevin, a camera in her hand. Jimmy stood the other side of Kevin, and Kevin, who was at the front of the group, had an evil grin on his face, although it was clear he was masking anger. "If it isn't two little fake pricks going for a bath in a tub of dirt," Kevin sneered as he stared at Ed and then at Edd.

"Wha... what?" Edd cried out as his eyes widened in shock.

"You heard him you two-faced asshole!" Sarah yelled in anger, an evil sneer on her face. Her fists were balled up in rage; it was obvious she was having a hard time controlling herself.

"What's going on, guys?" Ed asked, his already slow mind screeched to a halt by his condition.

"Funny thing you should ask that, dumbass, cause we should be the ones asking you fuckers what's going on!" Kevin yelled at Ed, causing him to shrink back.

"Why... Why are you doing this to us?" Edd cried out. He so desperately wanted to know what was going on. None of this made sense to him. His mind struggled to comprehend why the kids were doing this to him and Ed, but the strain was a little too much, even for him.

"You want to know why?" Sarah seethed as she stepped forward, camera in hand. "Because you, Ed, and Eddy have been nothing but trouble from the day you were born!" Sarah yelled out, causing Edd's eyes to widen. "All your life, all you've done is scam us, trick us, make fun of us, hurt us, smash us, steal our money, and do all sorts of other things to us..." Sarah explained, trying to keep her voice level. "And then you three have the gall to actually think you can become our friends!" Sarah screamed, unable to keep her anger under wraps any longer. Sarah suddenly stepped forward and kicked the side of the pool, sending a wave of mud crashing into Edd and Ed, who recoiled from it. "What do you think of me now, Double D?" Sarah cried. "Am I still short-tempered and agitated, or am I expressing my motions the right way?" Edd's eyes widened in fear. The clouds in his brain suddenly cleared away, and a single thought ran through his head. _Oh no_. Sarah stared angrily at Edd, her face red and her eyes locked into his. They had seen the notebook. They had read it. And now he and Ed were dead.

An eerie silence was cast over the room as Sarah huffed angrily next to the pool, the camera dangling from her neck by a strap. Kevin, Jonny, and Jimmy watched from behind, each of them baring an angry look. Edd could hear Ed shivering and mumbling next to him; Ed didn't know what exactly was going on, but he knew it was bad for him and Edd. "Looks like the cat's out of the bag, then," Kevin finally said, breaking the silence. Sarah took a few steps back and took a hold of the camera, readying it for a picture. "And now we're gonna take a picture to remind you dorks of your place in this neighborhood," Kevin said as he nodded at Sarah, who began to lift the camera to her eye.

"Wait!" Edd cried as he began to climb to his feet, the mud sloshing around him. "I can explain!" Edd added as he got on his feet and took a step out of the pool.

"Get back in there, you-" Kevin began, but stopped when he saw Jimmy rush forward past him and Sarah.

"Stay in there, creep!" Jimmy yelled before punching Edd square in the face, sending him reeling backwards and crashing back into the pool. Kevin, Sarah, and Jonny looked on in shock at first; they had never seen Jimmy so violent before. Then again, they didn't know exactly why Jimmy had joined their group in the first place, so all three of them excused it as revenge for some indiscretion from the Eds.

"Double D!" Ed cried as he pulled his friend up from the mud. Edd held his face in his hand; he could taste blood in his mouth. As Ed pulled Edd up from the mud, Edd's head lolled back and he could see the writing on the wall, albeit upside down. In big, red, bold letters it said 'LOSERS'. That's all he and Ed were to them. Losers. They were never really their friends. It was all some sort of sick, twisted game, and he and Ed had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. Edd began to cry as Ed lifted him up and held him in his arms. Ed began to stroke Edd's head through his hat as Edd continued to sob into Ed's arms. The two of them sat there in the pool of mud for a few moments, Ed trying to comfort Edd unsuccessfully. Ed finally looked up at Kevin and the others, and found no sympathy in their faces.

"Sorry you dorks had to learn your lesson the hard way," Kevin finally said, although it was devoid of emotion. "Now take the damn picture, Sarah." Sarah nodded and then lifted the camera to her face. Ed looked to each of their faces as he too began to cry. Jimmy was smiling evilly from behind Kevin, obviously content with the pain he had dealt to Edd. Kevin had a hard look on his face, as if trying to shield himself from giving a care about him and Edd. Sarah's face was obscured by the camera, save for a little smirk that peeked out from beneath it. Jonny, surprisingly, had a look of regret on his face, and it seemed like he felt sorry for he and Edd's plight.

"Say cheese!" Sarah said before a bright flash enveloped Ed and Edd, forcing Ed to close his eyes. The images of their faces were frozen in Ed's eyelids, and he was forced to look at their faces for a few seconds as he tried to shake it off. A picture slid out of the camera, and Sarah took it out and handed it to Kevin. Kevin shook a few times, trying to get it to develop.

"This one's definitely a keeper," Kevin taunted as Ed and Edd shivered in the pool, tears streaming down their faces. Kevin looked up at Ed and Edd. "And now we're gonna take one more picture as a little memento for your friend Eddy, whose little cowardly ass couldn't even show up." Sarah raised the camera again, ready to take another picture. Jonny looked away. He couldn't bear to watch this anymore. He had joined this group to get revenge on Eddy, but here he was, wasting his time on Ed and Edd. He would've liked it if the two of them didn't have to be hurt like this. As another bright flash enveloped the room, the door to the basement suddenly burst open, and Kevin, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny looked up in shock as the light from the main room enveloped them.

"Who the hell-" Kevin began, but stopped when he saw who it was: it was the Kanker sisters.

"What the hell is going on down here?" Marie cried as she started down the stairs.

"Well I-" Sarah stuttered, but was cut off by Lee.

"What are you fuckers doing to Ed and Double D?" Lee questioned angrily as she and her sisters stomped down the stairs. Kevin and the others looked on in confusion as the Kankers stopped in front of them, demanding looks on their faces. Ed and Edd looked up from their position in the pool of mud and saw the Kankers staring angrily at Kevin and the others. "Well?" Lee demanded.

"I-I-I..." Kevin stuttered, not sure of what the hell the Kankers were up to.

"Yeah, that's what I thought!" Lee said before shoving Kevin down on his ass. Lee turned to May and Marie. "Girls, get Ed and Double D out of there," Lee ordered before turning back to Kevin and the others. May and Marie hurried over to Ed and Edd, who were just as confused as the others. May reached down into the pool of mud and took Ed's arm.

"Come on, Ed, I've got ya," May said soothingly as she helped Ed stand up and got him out of the pool, the mud that he was caked with rubbing off on her. Marie grabbed Edd as May grabbed Ed, making sure that he didn't slip back into the mud without Ed's support.

"It's alright, Double D, I'm here for you," Marie assured as she helped Edd to his feet; Edd had even more of the mud on him than Ed, and it began to drip all over the floor and all over Marie.

"So this is what your big surprise for the Eds was, huh?" Lee yelled at Kevin, Sarah, Jonny, and Jimmy, who all backed away in shock and fear.

"But-" Jimmy began but stopped as Lee leered threateningly at him.

"But nothing! We're getting the hell out of here, and we're taking the Eds home!" Lee yelled as she motioned for her sister to take the Eds back up the stairs. May and Marie began to lead Ed and Edd up the stairs, mud spattering the stairs with every step. Lee began to follow them back up, but quickly turned around for one last look at the kids. She looked at all of them, although none of them could see her eyes. She suddenly lifted up some of her hair, revealing one of her eyes, and then winked at them. With that, she followed her sisters out of the basement. When they were sure the Eds and the Kankers were out of earshot, Sarah and Jonny helped Kevin to his feet.

"Then that means..." Sarah muttered.

"That was part of the plan," Jimmy finished for her. They all looked at each other, unsure of how to feel. Kevin sighed before smiling.

"Good," was all he said before motioning for the others to help him clean up the basement before Nazz and Rolf got back.

* * *

The front door of the house swung open as Marie and May led Ed and Edd outside and into the cool air. The sun had began to sink down behind the horizon, night almost upon the neighborhood. Lee ran ahead of May and Marie, a pair of keys jingling in her hand; she ran to their car, which was parked a few houses away from the abandoned house. Edd, who was still sobbing lightly, looked at Marie, who was helping him along. "M... Marie..." Edd began, although his voice was shaking. Marie returned his gaze.

"Yeah, Double D?" Marie asked.

"Thank you..." Edd mumbled, his voice fading. He was tired. Very tired. He just wanted to go to sleep and forget all of this even happened. But he knew he had to let Marie knew he appreciated what she and her sisters did back there for them. "Thank you so much..." Edd said as he looked away, fresh tears pouring down his face.

"It's okay... everything is going to be alright now," Marie assured him as she continued to lead him to their car, which Lee was currently unlocking.

"Is Double D going to be alright?" Ed asked May as he tried to look behind him to see Edd.

"Yeah... yeah, he's going to be alright, Ed," May answered as she held his arm on her shoulder. "You're stumbling all over the place, though, so just keep walking, okay?"

"Okay..." Ed mumbled; he felt heavier than ever, and he felt like the ground would come rushing up to meet him any second.

"Get them into the car, girls," Lee commanded as she opened up the back door. May, who got to the car first, helped Ed inside. Ed scooted over to the end seat and leaned his head up against the window.

"I'm so tired..." he muttered. May climbed into the car and took a seat in the middle of the back next to him.

"It's okay, you can go to sleep if you want... we'll wake you up when we get there," May said as she rubbed some mud off of his face. Ed nodded and muttered something under his breath before shutting his weary eyes. Marie stepped next to the car, Edd in tow, and helped him sit down on the other side of May.

"Comfortable, Double D?" Marie asked as she pulled a seat belt around him.

"Yeah..." Edd said, although his voice was even fainter now. His eyes were feeling really heavy. "But I could use a shower..." Edd added as he stared up at Marie.

"When we get you home, you can take a nice, long, hot shower," Marie responded before buckling him in. May quickly did the same, pulling the seat belt around Ed and buckling him in, although he was already fast asleep. Marie stepped back and then shut the door of the car, and then quickly opened the passenger's side door and climbed in. Lee entered in the driver's side and slid into her seat. She and Marie shut their doors gently at the same time. As Lee started the car, Marie looked back at Ed, May, and Edd. May held tightly on to Ed's arm as she studied his sleeping form. Edd stared out of the window as he tried to keep his eyes open, although sleep was starting to get the better of him. She stared for a moment longer at Edd, who didn't notice her gaze. She turned away and then buckled herself in. Lee turned on the headlights and shifted the car into gear before turning to Marie. Marie looked back at her. The two of them grinned deviously at each other as the car began to move down the street and toward their destination.

* * *

"They're gonna be so happy to see you, Eddy," Nazz said as she and Rolf walked along side Eddy, who was staring down at the sidewalk. The three of them were very close to the abandoned house now, although it was hard to see since it had begun to get dark, and it seemed like no one had bothered to turn on their porch lights.

"Yeah, I bet they will be," Eddy answered, although his tone was relatively somber.

"Hmm... the Ed-boy seems to still be in a sour mood," Rolf whispered to Nazz, who nodded slowly.

"I'm sure the party will cheer him up," Nazz whispered back. The three of them shielded their eyes as a pair of headlights passed by them and lit up the whole street. The lights finally passed them by, and they unshielded their eyes.

"Should've turned their freakin' brights off," Eddy muttered as he, Rolf, and Nazz continued on. The abandoned house finally came into view, and Eddy couldn't help but sigh. He had to be ready for whatever awaited him at this party. He suddenly stopped, however, when he saw that the front door was hanging open. Nazz and Rolf stopped as well when they saw it.

"Why is the front door open like that?" Nazz asked no one in particular.

"I don't know..." Eddy said. "But I'm going to find out!" he added before taking off in a sprint toward the house.

"Wait up for us, Ed-boy!" Rolf yelled after Eddy as he and Nazz began to follow him. Eddy heard the sound of his feet hitting the sidewalk echoing in his ears as the light that streamed out of the doorway came closer and closer. He began to run up the front lawn of the abandoned house; Rolf and Nazz, who were shocked by how fast Eddy could move, struggled to keep up with him. Eddy ran up to the doorway and stopped as he peered into the abandoned house. The first thing he noticed when he looked inside was that no one was there. The room was still bright and the music was still playing, although it was very soft, but not a soul was in the room. He stepped carefully inside, but his foot began to slide.

"Whoa!" Eddy cried out as he began to fall. He managed to catch himself on the doorway, however, and quickly scrambled back to his feet. He looked down and saw several muddy footprints in front of him. "What the..." Eddy mumbled as his eyes followed the path of footprints. His eyes stopped when he saw the basement door hanging open. Nazz and Rolf came up behind Eddy, who had begun to step inside of the house.

"Eddy, what's going..." Nazz trailed off when she spotted the muddy footprints. "Is that mud?" Nazz asked Eddy as she and Rolf followed him inside.

"Yeah..." Eddy answered mindlessly as he began to walk toward the basement door. Something was wrong. Seriously wrong. As he got closer and closer to the basement door, his heart began to pound faster and faster in his chest. He didn't know what he would find in the basement, but the knew it wouldn't be good. Eddy stepped carefully up to the basement door, but stopped before entering. He could hear people talking from down inside the basement. He couldn't tell what they were talking about, but he did recognize the voices; he could tell it was Kevin, Sarah, and Jimmy.

"What's going on down there, Ed-boy?" Rolf asked as he and Nazz stepped up behind him and stopped.

"I don't know..." Eddy answered as he leaned in to hear better. They were talking softly, so he couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but they definitely had an upbeat tone to their voice. "It sounds like Kevin and the others... I'm going down," Eddy finally said before straightening up and slowly entering the basement. Nazz and Rolf looked at each other, both unsure of what was going on, before following Eddy inside.

"Alright, now we gotta wash-" Kevin began to say as he leaned over to pick up a picture, but was interrupted by Sarah.

"Kevin..." Sarah mumbled quickly as she stared fearfully behind him at the basement stairs.

"Wha-" Kevin muttered as he turned around. His eyes widened as he spotted Eddy, Nazz, and Rolf standing midway down the stairs, confused expressions on their faces.

"What's going on here?" Eddy asked as he continued down the stairs and to the bottom, Nazz and Rolf close behind him. Kevin stood back up and faced the three of them. Sarah, who still had the camera in her hands, stepped a little bit behind Kevin to keep it out of view. Jonny and Jimmy, who were standing over by the back wall with sponges in their hands and buckets next to their feet, turned around and dropped the sponges onto the basement floor. Kevin looked over at Jimmy and Jonny, who had deer-in-the-headlights expressions on their faces. Kevin looked back over at Eddy, who had his arms crossed and a hard look on his face.

"Well... you see..." Kevin began as he rubbed the back of his head. Nazz and Rolf weren't supposed to get back before they had finished cleaning up, and they certainly weren't supposed to bring Eddy. Kevin had been sure that they would've been unsuccessful in trying to get Eddy, but it was apparent that he had been dead wrong. "We were just cleaning up after... we played a game down here, is all," Kevin said before giving a weak little smile.

"A game, huh?" Eddy asked as he looked around the room carefully. It wasn't very well lit, although there was a flashlight sitting on the floor angled at where Jonny and Jimmy were standing. "And what game could you have been possibly playing down here?" Eddy asked as he returned his gaze to Kevin.

"Just something we made up for the occasion... it's hard to describe," Kevin answered, although he knew he was slipping. Nazz and Rolf watched suspiciously from behind Eddy, both of them confused beyond belief. Eddy had had enough of this bullshit; something really bad had happened at this party, but he wasn't sure of what it could possibly be. The only thing he was sure of was that Ed, Edd, and the Kankers were all missing.

"Whatever," Eddy finally said before stepping toward Kevin. "Just tell me where Ed and Double D are so I can get out of this dump," Eddy added.

"Uh... well..." Kevin mumbled.

"Double D and Ed already left," Sarah responded as she stepped forward, having set the camera down on the ground behind Kevin.

"Really?" Eddy asked. They were all hiding something and he knew it. He also knew he had the upper hand; Kevin and Sarah were obviously scared shitless of Eddy finding out what had happened, and Jonny and Jimmy were so scared that they didn't even want to speak, and instead found themselves content to stand in the corner of the room.

"Yeah... are you calling me a liar?" Sarah asked angrily.

"A liar? Of course not..." Eddy said smoothly as he began to walk around the room. "I just find it strange that we didn't see Ed and Double D when me, Nazz, and Rolf were walking here is all," Eddy explained as he stopped in the middle of the room.

"It was dark outside, they could've walked by without you even noticing them," Sarah answered as she tried to scoot the camera out of Eddy's view with her foot.

"Yeah the fuck right..." Eddy muttered as he stared down Sarah and Kevin.

"Kevin, what's really going on here?" Nazz asked as she stepped forward. Kevin looked over at her, lost as to what to say.

"Uh... well..." Kevin began.

"And where are the Kanker-girls?" Rolf asked as he stepped forward as well. Kevin and Sarah began to back off, feeling scared and trapped. They had no idea how to respond to these questions, especially since they had no decent lies to tell. Sarah looked over at Jimmy and Jonny, as if to ask for help, but the two of them looked just as lost for answers as they were.

"Enough of this bullshit, just tell me where-" Eddy began before stepping on something on the floor. He looked down and moved his foot out of the way to see what it was. Kevin and Sarah's hearts stopped when they saw what Eddy had stepped on, and was now reaching down to pick up: it was one of the pictures that they had taken. Eddy snatched up the picture and brought it up to his face so he could see what it was. Eddy's mouth fell open as he studied the picture, taking in every ghastly detail of what he was looking at. Kevin and Sarah had expressions of pure terror on their face as they watched Eddy's hand begin to shake with rage and anger. Eddy couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Eddy... what is it?" Nazz asked as she tried to step toward Eddy. Eddy stuck his arm out, stopping her from getting any closer. Eddy finally took his eyes off of the picture, and then looked up at Kevin and Sarah. Eddy could feel his entire body shaking as he stared with daggers at Kevin and Sarah. He couldn't believe this. No... no, he could believe this. All the times Kevin had ever picked on him and his friends, all the times Sarah had ever tattled on him on his friends, all the times Kevin had ever beat the shit out of him and his friends, and all the times that Sarah had ever laid a hand on him and his friends came rushing into his mind. He felt like he was going to explode. Eddy felt his grip on the photo loosen, and the photo went fluttering down toward the ground and landed right in front of Nazz. Kevin looked over at Nazz fearfully.

"Nazz, don't!" Kevin pleaded as he tried to step toward her; he didn't want her to see it. He didn't want her to hate him. But it was too late. She knelt down and stared at the photo, not daring to touch it and remove it from the floor. She suddenly stood back up and backed up a few feet, not believing what she had seen. She looked up at Kevin, a shocked expression on her face.

"How... how could you?" Nazz asked as she backed up into Rolf, who she suddenly wrapped her arms around for comfort and support.

"Nazz... I... I..." Kevin stuttered. He could feel tears trying to force themselves out, but he tried his best to hold them back. Kevin looked at Rolf, who had a solemn expression on his face as he watched all of this unfold. He then looked back at Nazz. "Please, Nazz... I... I thought you would understand..." Kevin pleaded as he stepped toward her.

"Understand what?" Nazz asked angrily as she tore away from Rolf. "Understand how you, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny did something this terrible to Ed and Double D?" Nazz screamed. "I can't believe any of you! How can you all be so cruel to people who just wanted to be your damn friends!" Nazz yelled, unable to control herself. Kevin, Sarah, Jimmy, and Jonny were all silent. Nazz looked at Kevin's face, and, although she saw regret, she knew it wasn't because of what he had done to Ed and Edd.

"I'm sorry..." Kevin managed to whimper out. Nazz gave him a condescending look.

"You're only sorry because Rolf, Eddy, and I found out," Nazz huffed out. Eddy, who was glad to see he wasn't the only one pissed off about this, began to calm down. He stepped toward Kevin and Sarah, who both turned their gazes from Nazz to him.

"Now, you sorry piece of shit," Eddy began, obviously directing it toward Kevin. "Tell me where the hell Ed and Double D are," Eddy demanded angrily. Kevin just stood there shaking while looking at the ground. Sarah cleared her throat.

"They... they took them," Sarah said, although her voice was shaking. Eddy looked at her, confused.

"Who's they?" Eddy asked, not realizing what she meant at first. Sarah looked over Kevin, who looked like he was a lost little child, and then at Jimmy and Jonny, who had stayed silent the entire time, preferring to let her and Kevin take the brunt of the heat.

"The Kankers," Sarah finally managed to say. Eddy's eyes widened, and he suddenly fell to his knees. No. No, Eddy thought, he must've heard wrong. She couldn't have possibly said what he thought she said. He squeezed his eyes shut. No. No, he had heard correctly. And it meant that he had failed. He had tried staying away from Ed and Edd, thinking that isolating himself and keeping his pain to himself would keep Ed and Edd from being hurt. But he could finally see that he had been a fool. He wasn't there to protect Ed and Edd. Instead, he had been selfish and tried to push them away. And he ended up pushing them right into the arms of their enemies. Right into the arms of the Kankers, the very sick monsters he had been trying to protect them from. He had no one to blame but himself.

"No..." Eddy mumbled as he stared blankly at the wall. There were four others that he could also blame.

"Eddy?" Nazz said as she stepped toward him, arm extended. Kevin and Sarah stared at Eddy, who seemed lost in his own little world.

"Is the Ed-boy-"

"You motherfucker!" Eddy suddenly screamed before launching himself from his kneeling position at Kevin.

"Shit!" Kevin managed to yell before Eddy charged into him and forced him up against the wall. "Get offa-" Eddy socked Kevin right in the jaw, sending him sideways and onto the floor.

"I'm going to kill you!" Eddy shouted before leaping on Kevin, who was still dazed from the punch. He unleashed a fury of punches on Kevin, who couldn't do anything to stop him.

"Stop it!" Sarah yelled before jumping in to try and restrain Eddy. She pulled on one of his arms, trying to get the enraged boy off of Kevin, but he suddenly turned around to face her.

"Fuck you!" Eddy seethed before pushing Sarah hard, sending her stumbling backwards. Eddy then stepped forward, fist raised, ready to punch Sarah, but Jimmy suddenly found the courage to move.

"Get away from her, you brute!" Jimmy called out before running toward Eddy, who looked away from Sarah in shock. Jimmy jumped on Eddy, pinning him up against the wall.

"You little faggot!" Eddy cried out as he tried to wriggle free of Jimmy's grip.

"Stop it!" Nazz yelled, trying to stop the fighting. Eddy wrenched one of his arms free and then elbowed Jimmy in the face, causing him to cry out in pain and fall backwards. Before Eddy could assault Jimmy, Rolf stepped forward and grabbed Eddy by the neck with his arm and pulled him away.

"Get off of me, Rolf!" Eddy screamed as he struggled against Rolf.

"Enough, Ed-boy! Enough!" Rolf ordered as he dragged Eddy away from Kevin, Sarah, and Jimmy who were all starting to climb to their feet, although Kevin and Jimmy were especially dazed by Eddy's onslaught. "Calm down, Ed-boy!" Rolf commanded as Eddy continued the struggle. After a few moments, Eddy began to calm down, and his struggle slowly ceased.

"Alright... alright..." Eddy finally said, defeated. "Just let go of me," Eddy said calmly. Rolf released his grip, and Eddy, true to his word, just stood there and watched Kevin, Sarah, and Jimmy pick themselves up. Sarah grabbed Jimmy's arm and helped him to his feet and Kevin gripped the wall as a support, Eddy's punches hurting far more than he expected. He reached his hand up to his mouth and the looked at it. He saw blood on his fingertips.

"You little son of a..." Kevin muttered as he looked up at Eddy, who was looking back at him, anger still apparent on his face. "All that just because the Kankers are going to kiss your stupid friends!" Kevin yelled at Eddy. Eddy's face scrunched up, anger renewed inside of him.

"Is that what you think they're going to do, you punk?" Eddy asked as he stepped toward Kevin.

"Eddy, don't," Nazz pleaded, thinking that Eddy was going to try to assault them again.

"You want to know what they're going to do to Ed and Double D?" Eddy asked as anger built up inside of him. Kevin looked at Eddy silently, not knowing how to answer. He was surprised to see tears begin to stream down Eddy's face. Eddy looked down at the ground, a few tears sliding off of his face and spattering on the floor. Everyone stood around Eddy, all of them quiet and unsure of what Eddy was going to say next. Eddy bit his lip as thoughts raced through his mind. "They're... they're..." Eddy stuttered.

"They're what, Eddy?" Nazz asked softly.

"They're going to rape them!" Eddy screamed before turning around and running for the basement stairs. He pushed past Rolf and Nazz and took off up the stairs, his feet pounding on each step as he rocketed out of the basement. Once he was out of sight, they could still hear him race out of the house and into the night. And, with that, he was gone. Everyone was still shocked, Eddy's words still echoing in the air.

Jimmy and Sarah stood in the corner, holding onto each other and staring blankly at the light that streamed down from the living room. Jimmy didn't want this. He just wanted to see Edd suffer. But he didn't want to see Edd suffer like this. This was taking it too far, at least in his mind.

Sarah was scared, not only for Edd, but for her brother as well. She almost couldn't believe what Eddy had said was true, but then again, Eddy would know best what the Kankers were up to, wouldn't he?

Kevin stared at the ground, suddenly feeling ashamed and regretful of his actions. He wanted to get the Eds back for everything that they had ever done to he and the others. He wanted them to suffer. But this was too much. He knew that he should've never trusted the Kankers, but he had been too foolhardy, and went against his own instincts simply out of a thirst for revenge.

Jonny stared blankly into the air, feeling like an idiot. He should've known what he had seen in the forest wasn't what he thought it was. He should've known not to get involved in games of revenge. But it was too late. Now he had helped the Kankers get their hands on Ed and Edd, and now they were going to be raped because of him.

Nazz and Rolf turned around and stared at Kevin, Sarah, and Jimmy, who all returned their condescending stares.

"Nazz... Rolf..." Kevin choked out as he stood up. "I swear we didn't know..." Kevin trailed off, his voice choking up.

"I know..." Nazz answered before sighing. "But we can't worry about that now... let's go to the neighbors and ask to use their phone," Nazz added.

"Why?" Jonny asked as he snapped out of his thoughts.

"We've got to call the police."


	17. The Reckoning

**Author's Note: **_Enjoy._

* * *

The first thing that Edd felt when he began to wake up was a horrible headache that was seemingly gnawing at the center of his brain. He couldn't help but let out a little moan at the pain, being that it was so intense. He then felt the softness of a bed sheet under him, and couldn't help but smile a little; he was home, in his bed. He opened his eyes to darkness; he couldn't see anything, so he assumed that the light must be off. He was so thankful to be home, away from the party full of kids that hated him. He didn't know what the future in the cul-de-sac might hold for Ed, Eddy, and him, but he knew that it would be even harder now that most of the kids hated them more than ever. Save for the Kankers. They had rescued him and Ed from that horrid house. They had shown compassion and friendship to them. Perhaps he had them pegged wrong. Perhaps they weren't the monsters he thought they were. Edd, suddenly feeling very thirsty, tried to get up. And he found that he couldn't.

"What in the world..." Edd mumbled as he tried to move his hands and feet, to no avail. He suddenly realized that his hands were behind him, and that his feet were seemingly locked together. He tried to free his hands and feet, but the feeling of rope digging into his wrists and ankles stopped him. Edd suddenly froze when he heard a voice from beside him mumble something. Edd looked into the darkness beside him, but couldn't see anything. "Who's there?" Edd whispered, his voice shaking.

"Double D?" a voice answered. It was Ed. Edd's heart slowed down a little at the sound of Ed's voice; it began to speed back up, however, as this raised a whole host of new questions.

"What's going on, Ed?" Edd asked, unsure of what was going on.

"Not now, Double D... Ed is sleepy..." Ed responded. Edd could feel Ed moving around on the bed, as if he was trying to adjust himself into a better position. "What's wrong with my hands and feet, Double D?" Ed suddenly asked. Edd could feel Ed moving around a lot more now.

"I don't know, Ed... something bad is going on..." Edd trailed off as his headache flared back up. "All remember was falling asleep when the Kankers were giving us a ride home, and-" Edd stopped talking and his heart stopped. Although his brain was still working at twenty-five percent capacity and he had a splitting headache, he was finally putting everything together. He and Ed, hands and feet bound together, were sitting on a bed in the pitch black with no clue as to how they had gotten there. And the last people they were with was the Kankers. He didn't want to think what he was thinking. The Kankers had helped them out of trouble with the kids, after all. But he began to realize that perhaps it wasn't for the reasons that he had thought. Edd heard movement at the foot of the bed and looked down into the darkness. "Who's there?" Edd called out, although in the back of his mind a dark fear knew who it was. The lights suddenly flicked on, and Edd couldn't help but squeeze his eyes shut from a bright light for the second time that night.

As Edd kept his eyes shut tight until they could adjust to the light, he suddenly felt someone climb on top of him. He opened his eyes to see who it was, and, to his horror, it was Marie, a big grin plastered on her face. "Welcome home, Double D," she cooed before kissing him hard on the lips. Edd tried to struggle against her, but, since he couldn't move his arms and legs, it was useless. He tried to move his head away, but she held his head in place with her hands. She pulled back, letting him breath.

"Please stop!" Edd cried out, hoping that Marie was still the understanding, caring person she was at the party.

"_Please stop_!" Marie mocked before pulling him up by his neck for another long, amorous kiss.

"What's going on?" Ed asked from next to him as May climbed on top of him. Ed, who was even more out of it than Edd, didn't even try to stop May as she silently begin to kiss him first on his cheeks, and then on his lips. Edd continued to try to worm his way out from underneath Marie, but she was stronger than him, and it certainly didn't help that he was denied the use of his hands and feet. Marie finally pulled away from Edd, and he gasped from air.

"Why are you doing this?" Edd asked, his speech slightly slurred from whatever condition was affecting him.

"Because I _love_ you, Double D," Marie joked as she went in for another kiss. Lee stood at the foot of the bed, quietly watching as her sisters enjoyed the fruits of their labor. As Marie pulled back from another extended kiss, Edd noticed that he wasn't wearing his mud-caked clothes any longer; he was wearing a very familiar robe with the label "Bubba" on it. This suddenly all felt like a repeat of an incident four years prior, except the Kankers weren't wasting any time trying to be nice or respectful.

"Don't do this..." Edd moaned as he squeezed his eyes shut, the horrible headache resurfacing again. Marie sat up on Edd's midsection and looked down at him. She reached out and stroked his cheek.

"Too bad, Double D...," Marie began as she continued to rub his cheek. "You brought this on yourself..." Marie added as she leaned down to kiss Edd again. May had Ed in an embrace and was laying kisses all over him like some sort of love-starved maniac; Lee looked on in amusement, giggling every once in a while.

"Who's there?" Ed asked faintly as May began kissing the nape of his neck. Marie stopped kissing Edd for a moment and then scooted back a little, revealing the soft silk belt that kept the robe around Edd.

"What are you doing?" Edd asked as he craned his head to look at Marie.

"You'll see..." Marie trailed off in a seductive voice as she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it over the side of the bed. Edd blushed as his eyes became locked on Marie's bra, which was a dark black.

"Oh no..." Edd mumbled as he renewed his struggle. Marie leaned over and wrapped her hand around Edd's neck, causing him to lock up and look her in the face.

"Don't," Marie warned as she slit her eyes at him. "Or I'll make this more painful than pleasurable," Marie added as she grinned a little and bit her lip. Edd's bottom lip began to quiver as he watched Marie reach down toward the robe his wearing and grab the soft silk belt. He squeezed his eyes shut, a tear sliding out of his right eye as he turned his head to the side. All he could think about was he and Marie outside of the trailer, her hand working its way down his abdomen and toward his pants. But now it was even worse. There was no escaping her this time. She had him right where she wanted him, and he could do nothing about it.

May stopped kissing Ed for a moment and sat up. She slowly removed her shirt, relishing the fact that Ed, although still dazed, was watching her with confused and curious eyes. She dropped her shirt off the side of the bed and laid down on top of Ed and locked eyes with him. Ed stared back her, trying to search her eyes for some explanation of what was going on. "You're going to love this, Ed," May whispered to him before sliding down downwards and towards his lower body. Ed could see that he was wearing the same robe he had on when he first met the Kankers four years ago; there was a label on the shirt that read "Rod".

"Look at you, freaking out like that," Marie said as she began to play with the silk belt wrapped around Edd's waist. "You know, I already saw you naked, Double D," she said, causing Edd to look back at her and turn even redder. It made sense; after all, they did bathe Ed and him and change them. Marie suddenly leaned over and brought her face inches from Edd's. Edd wanted to squeeze his eyes shut and look away, but some unseen force kept his scared gaze on Marie's face. "And I liked what I saw," she whispered before licking her lips seductively. Marie then sat back up, letting her words sink into Edd's clouded mind for moment.

May grabbed hold of the silk belt that was tied around Ed's waste and began to untie it. Ed stayed silent as May continued her work, confused and not knowing what was going on. Edd seemed to hate what was going on, but Ed didn't know what to feel. "Leave him alone," Edd moaned to May, who stopped untying Ed's robe for a moment. She just flashed him a toothy smile and then looked at Marie.

"Come on, Marie, your man's too talky," May said.

"You're right, May, I guess I gotta do something to keep him nice and satisfied..." Marie trailed off before beginning to untie Edd's robe as well. Unlike Ed, Edd was far more aware of what was going on. And he just couldn't take it anymore. He shut his eyes, not wanting to see what they were about to do to him and Ed. Because what they were doing was unspeakable. It was terrible. It was horrible. It was evil. Edd prayed that this was all just a bad dream. He prayed that he would wake up in his soft, warm bed, the sunlight streaming through his window. Then Marie put her hand on him, and then he knew for sure it was no dream.

"Oh shit, I gotta get the video camera for this," Lee said as Edd broke out into sobs. May had opened Ed's robe as well, and Ed donned the look of a frightened child that had been abandoned by his parents. Lee exited the room, leaving May and Marie to violate Ed and Edd. She walked down the stairs with a brisk pace, not wanting to miss any of the unspeakable acts her sisters were about to perform on their captors. "Now where did I put that thing..." Lee mumbled as she looked around the living room; she spotted the video camera laying beside the couch. "There you are..." Lee said to herself before walking over to it and picking it up. As she stood back up, she saw something strange that caught her eye. "What the hell?" Lee whispered as she walked over to the front door of the trailer, which was hanging open by a few inches. She reached out and latched it shut, although the fact that it was even open unnerved her...

"Good morning, sleepyhead," a malicious voice suddenly hissed from behind her.

* * *

"Damn it, why won't anyone answer the door?" Nazz yelled as she stomped her foot on the porch in rage. Rolf laid his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, while Kevin, Jimmy, Jonny, and Sarah watched from the edge of the lawn. They had tried several houses, but no one was answering their door; even some houses that appeared to be occupied they had no luck at.

"Nazz-girl, we must not fret," Rolf assured her as she turned around and looked up at him. "We should hurry back to the cul-de-sac and use one of our phones, yes?" Rolf suggested.

"But... but it will take too long to get back," Nazz responded, fearful that the longer they took the worse things would be for Ed and Edd, and maybe even Eddy, who had gone missing.

"Not if we run," Rolf answered. Nazz pondered Rolf's answer for a second.

"Then let's go!" Nazz said as she grabbed Rolf by the hand. The two of them broke out in a sprint across the person's lawn, and then ran off down the street.

"Wait up for us!" Jonny called out before running after them, Jimmy, Sarah, and Kevin joining him after a few moments.

* * *

"If you won't enjoy this, then I guess I will..." Marie said after taking her hand off of Edd, whose entire body was shaking badly, tears streaming down his cheeks. Ed just stared at the ceiling as May did as she pleased to him, not knowing what the feeling he felt was but knowing that he shouldn't enjoy himself. Marie sat up and began to take off her bra.

"Good idea, Marie," May purred as she let go of Ed and straightened up.

Just when Marie was about to get her bra off, Lee yelled from downstairs, "May, Marie, get down here now!" Marie froze at the sound of Lee's shout and then looked over at May, who had an equally confused expression on her face. Edd couldn't help but crack an eye open, surprised at Lee's sudden shout.

"Find the fucking camera yourself, Lee, me and May are a little busy here!" Marie shouted back, pissed that Lee had interrupted them.

"I said get your asses down here right the fuck now!" Lee screamed, shocking May and Marie.

"Maybe we should go down..." May suggested, fearing that Lee would be angry with them.

"Fine..." Marie muttered as she climbed off of Edd. "We'll be right back, love muffins," Marie cooed before her and May and walked out of the room. Edd turned his head slowly to Ed, who still had a vegetable-like expression on his face. Edd didn't know whether it was because he didn't want to show enjoyment, or because his brain simply didn't know how to process what was going on.

"Ed... Ed... everything's going to be okay..." Edd said, his voice quivering as he stared at Ed's expressionless face. Ed's eyes, which seemed glazed over before, suddenly shifted to look at Edd. A tear fell out of Ed's eye as he just laid there and stared at Edd. The two of them then began to quietly cry together.

"What the hell do you want, Lee?" Marie yelled as she and May and walked down the staircase and into the living room. They walked into the kitchen, thinking that Lee was in there.

"Where the heck is she?" May asked, confused.

"Over here, you bitches," a dark and brooding voice suddenly said from behind them. May and Marie whirled around, recognizing the voice instantly. They were shocked at they saw. Lee stood by the door, her entire body locked up in fear. An arm was wrapped around her body and her arms, keeping them still. A silver, shiny blade was pressed against Lee's throat. They then saw the person who was holding Lee hostage: Eddy. For a few moments, nobody said a word. May and Marie just looked on at Lee and Eddy, bewildered expressions on their faces. Lee stood there, her entire body frozen out of fear of the switchblade that was a mere flick of Eddy's wrist from opening her throat up. And Eddy simply stared at May and Marie, his face filled with a mixture of determination and a deep malice. May and Marie didn't know what to say. They didn't know what to do. All they did was simply stand there uncertainly, unsure of what their next action should be. Eddy had no such qualms. "If you value your sister's life, you two better walk upstairs and get Ed and Double D, right now," Eddy said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. May and Marie stood there for a moment, still in shock from what was going on. All that served to do was piss Eddy off. "I said now, damn it!" Eddy yelled at the top of his lungs, causing May and Marie to jump.

"Okay, okay, just don't-" Marie began.

"No goddamn lip, just do it!" Eddy shouted, causing Marie to shut up. Marie and May quickly rushed upstairs, fearing that Eddy's unpredictable condition might cause him to do something drastic. Eddy watched the two of them run up the staircase, and then turned his attention back to Lee when they were out of sight, making sure that she couldn't try to wriggle out his grip. Lee didn't say a word, and just stared straight forward, not wanting to provoke him. She was literally as stiff as a board, and she refused to make any sort of movements or any sort of sounds. "You don't seem so talkative anymore, Lee. What's wrong?" Eddy hissed at her as he pressed the blade a little harder against her throat. All Lee could do was let out a little whimper in response, too scared to speak a word. Eddy turned his attention back to the staircase when he heard movement. Eddy watched as Marie and Edd came into sight first. Edd's arm was thrown around Marie's neck, Edd still obviously dazed by whatever the Kankers had used on them. Ed and May then followed behind them, May helping Ed similar to the way Marie was helping Edd.

Eddy watched them carefully as they reached the bottom of the steps and then walked to a spot about three yards in front of Eddy. Eddy finally felt like he could breathe seeing that Ed and Edd were mostly okay, although he was pissed to see that they were clothed in robes and not their regular clothing; May and Marie had also put their shirts back on while they were upstairs. Eddy's bottom lip began to quiver with rage when he saw Ed and Edd's condition; their eyes were puffy and red from crying, and they were shaking very badly. He could tell by the looks of things that May and Marie had put there hands on them. He could feel the anger building up inside of him at the thought. "We did what you said, now let her go," Marie suddenly said, breaking Eddy's gaze away from his friends and shifting it to her.

"I don't think so," Eddy said, trying to keep his voice level. "First, Ed and Double D come to me, and then I let Lee go," Eddy said as his hand that held the knife against Lee's throat tensed up, causing Lee to stiffen up further.

"Please, just don't hurt Lee," May pleaded as she looked over at Marie, who nodded back at her. They both let go of Ed and Edd, and the two of them almost fell to the ground. Luckily Edd, who was a little less out of it than Ed, caught himself before he could fall and grabbed Ed around the waist. He helped Ed stand up, and Ed threw his arm around Ed's shoulder.

"Come on, Ed," Edd whispered into Ed's ear. "Eddy's here... we're... we're safe now..." Edd continued as he led Ed over to Eddy, who was still watching May and Marie carefully in case they tried anything. Eddy took his eyes away from May and Marie for a moment to look at his friends, who were walking over to his side. Edd seemed a little relieved to see Eddy, but there was some look of a deeper fear on his face. Eddy didn't have time to think about it, however, as Marie spoke up.

"Now let go of Lee," Marie requested as she watched Eddy's hand carefully, afraid that Eddy would choose to hurt her sister at any moment. Eddy deliberated Marie's appeal in his mind for a moment. After all, he had Lee in his clutches, and he didn't know if letting her go was the best course of action. Lee was his entire bargaining chip for safety. Still, he did have a knife, so he figured that the Kankers couldn't try anything anyway.

"Come on, you said..." May whined, not understanding why Eddy wouldn't let Lee go. Eddy sighed deeply.

"Here's your damn sister," Eddy answered before removing the knife from Lee's throat and then shoving her at May and Marie, who caught her before she could hit the ground. Edd let go of Ed, who could finally stand on his own, and the two of them stood behind Eddy, who held the knife pointed at the Kankers. May, Marie, and Lee, all looked at the Eds, and Ed, Edd, and Eddy stared back at the Kankers. An air of silence fell over the room as the two groups of long time enemies simply looked at each other. Eddy felt like he finally had a moment of control over the Kankers. All the years and years that the Kankers had screwed with him and his friends, and now they were finally standing before him, cowering in fear. And all it took was a little dinky knife; it seemed like so simple a solution, yet it was one that had never crossed his mind. Still, he didn't know if he could control himself. He wanted to lunge forward and let the Kankers have it. He wanted to make them pay for everything they had ever done to him and his friends. He wanted to give them a permanent reminder of the pain they had caused. But he knew he couldn't. He knew that if he hurt them, he would be the one who would get in trouble. He would be the one to catch the heat; maybe even Ed and Edd as well. And, as much as he hated to admit it, he didn't even know if he could bring himself to actually do anything to the Kankers. So he had to settle for the next best thing.

"Eddy, we should..." Edd whispered faintly from behind Eddy, interrupting Eddy's thoughts for a moment. Eddy held up his free hand, signalling for Edd to stop talking for the moment.

"Hold on, Double D," Eddy whispered. Eddy turned his attention to the Kankers and then cleared his throat. "Now I'm only going to say this once, so you bitches better listen," Eddy began as he held the knife firmly in his hand. "If you three ever, and I mean ever, come near me and my friends again, I will cut each of you a brand new shit hole, do you hear me?" Eddy seethed. The Kankers just stood there and stared at Eddy, each of their faces filled with fear. Eddy, who was holding back the brunt of his anger, snapped. "I said do you fucking hear me?" Eddy screamed at the top of his lungs as he stepped forward, causing the Kankers to jump back. Edd suddenly grabbed Eddy's shoulder, causing Eddy to look over his shoulder at him.

"Eddy, that's enough, let's just get the hell out of here," Edd said, his voice quivering and his eyes wild with fear. Eddy just stared at him for a moment, as if Edd had woken him from some sort of sleep. "Eddy, you don't understand, Marie has a-"

"_Oh, Eddy..._" Marie jeered, causing Eddy to turn his gaze back to the Kankers. Now it was Eddy's turn to lock up in fear. Although Marie was standing before him, her legs spread apart and a sadistic grin on her face, his eyes weren't locked on her. It was what was in her hands that had all of his attention. The first thing he saw was a black hole staring him down. And then he realized that it wasn't just a black hole. Locked in Marie's sweaty, shaking hands was a silver revolver. And it was pointed straight at him. All the power, all the control, all the freedom that came with Kevin's switchblade suddenly washed away. Eddy realized that he had brought a knife to a gun fight. A darkness fell over the room; the tables had been turned and now the Eds were once again on the receiving end. Eddy stood there, bugged eyed, and Ed and Edd stood behind him, equally scared, as Lee walked up behind Marie and laid her hand on Marie's shoulder, a nervous smile on her face.

"Atta girl, Marie," Lee whispered, happy to see that her sister was packing heat.

"Don't thank me, thank mom," Marie answered. "She bought it for her protection... but I don't think she'll mind if I use it for _our_ protection..." Marie added as her maniacal smile widened, knowing how ironic she was being. All the Eds could do was stand there in fear, afraid that Marie would pull the trigger. "Now then, Eddy," Marie began as she stepped forward once, wanting to make sure Eddy knew she was serious. "Drop the knife and kick it over to me." Eddy just stood there, almost as if he didn't register what she had said. "I said drop the fucking knife, Eddy," Marie said as her finger tensed up on the trigger. Eddy, who was obviously too locked up with fear to move a muscle, still didn't drop the knife. Luckily, Edd was there to do what he couldn't. Edd reached down to Eddy's hand and took the knife from him, Eddy relaxing the muscles in his hand so that he could take it. Edd then tossed the knife at the floor, and it landed in front of Marie. Marie then motioned for one of her sisters to pick it up, and Lee quickly bent over and scooped the knife up off of the floor.

"Look who's got your precious little knife now, Eddy," Lee taunted as she pointed it at the Eds. Eddy was at a loss for words. He had come here, ready to save his friends, and all he did was get them into an even deeper pile of shit.

"What now, guys?" May whispered to her sisters, unsure of what was going to transpire. Marie looked over at May and then pondered her question for a moment.

"I'll tell you what's going to happen now," Marie said before returning her gaze to the trembling and vulnerable Eds. "We're going to drag the Eds up to our bedroom by their fucking hair and punish their bastard asses," Marie said assertively as she eyed Edd lustfully, who looked at her with wide, fearful, and knowing eyes. Lee and May grinned.

"Sounds fun..." Lee commented before turning her attention to the Eds. "What do you guys think?" Lee mocked. Marie, however, had something else she wanted to take care of before violating the Eds.

"But first," Marie said as she returned her gaze to Eddy. "You're going to do a little something for us, Eddy." Eddy's heart stopped. He knew what was coming. Something he feared even more than the Kankers touching him again. Something he feared even more than the Kankers violating him again. Something he feared even more than the Kankers raping him again. And Marie's smile told him that she knew this would be painful for him. "I want you to tell your friends about our dirty little secret," Marie requested, causing Ed and Edd to look down at Eddy, who was now looking down at the ground in front of him.

"E-Eddy?" Edd asked in a low whisper, confused as to what Marie was talking about. "What... what does she mean, Eddy?" Edd added. Eddy couldn't stand it. He didn't want to be right here right now. He would rather just have Marie shoot him now than let him have to disappoint his friends. He felt like this was all his fault. If he had never agreed to having sex with the Kankers, they would've never went this far. This would've never happened.

"Oh, don't be so shy, Eddy," Marie spoke up, annoyed that Eddy wasn't talking. She suddenly grinned again. "You certainly weren't shy that one time in the woods..." Marie trailed off, causing Edd to look up at her with an incredulous look in his eyes. Ed and Edd suddenly looked back at Eddy when he started sobbing. Tears began to roll down his face, the shame taking over his entire being. He didn't want to say anything. He just wanted to stand there and be quiet. But he owed an explanation to his friends, to whom he had caused so much pain. Eddy turned around and looked up at Ed and Edd, whose clueless faces stared back at him, stained by tears of their own that they had shed earlier.

"Ed... Double D..." Eddy choked out through his sobbing. "I'm... so sorry... this... this is all my fault..." Eddy whimpered as he tore his eyes away from them. The images of him and the Kankers in the woods came flooding back. The images of him and the Kankers in their trailer came flooding back. The images of him with Marie and May in the woods came flooding back. "I... I... I..." Eddy stuttered as tears blurred his vision into an indiscernible mess. "I had sex with the Kankers," Eddy finally admitted before shutting his eyes and letting his shame take control; tears rolled down his face nonstop and he kept his face turned away from his friends in shame. Ed, although dimwitted, understood the gravity of what Eddy had said and could only look at Eddy with some unknown emotion. Edd, however, stared at Eddy through hollow and unbelieving eyes, not believing what he had just heard. He finally knew why Eddy had pushed them away. He finally knew why Eddy didn't want to be friends anymore. It was shame and fear that made him do it. Eddy had been ashamed of himself and he could no longer face he or Ed knowing that he had betrayed them.

"That's right, you little bitch, cry your sorry eyes out," Lee hissed in anger as Eddy continued to sob, her grip on the knife tightening.

"Alright now, Eddy," Marie said as she continued to train the gun on Eddy. "Come on over and show Ed and Double D where your real loyalty lies." Eddy's sobbing subsided for a moment, although tears were still gushing from his eyes. He looked up at Ed and Edd, who both looked at him with unreadable emotions. Eddy tried to find sympathy, empathy, or some sort of emotion that told him that what he did was okay and that they forgave him, but he saw none. Eddy then turned to the Kankers, whose eyes were fixated on him. Wiping the tears away, Eddy mindlessly stumbled toward them and then landed on his knees in front of Marie, causing the Kankers to all smirk.

"That's a good little boy," Marie purred as she pointed the gun down at Eddy's head."But don't feel too bad about letting our little secret out of the bag, cause Ed and Double D are gonna be joining the club pretty soon, ain't that right?" Marie said threateningly as she looked up at Ed and Edd, who stared back at her fearfully. May, Marie, and Lee all suddenly began to laugh uncontrollably, as if some sort of joke that only they could hear had been told. The laughter rung in Eddy's ears as he stared down at their feet, tears still rolling down his face; the laughter rung in Ed's ears as he stared at the Kankers in terror, fearing being taken back up to their room and violated; and the laughter rung in Edd's ears as he stared down at Eddy with empty eyes and a hollow heart. The sound of laughter, however, suddenly subsided when the Kankers froze in fear at the sound of a new noise: sirens.

"Oh shit..." Lee cussed as she, May, and Marie took their gaze away from Ed, Edd, and Eddy for a moment and looked out of their window for any sign of the authorities or flashing red and blue lights.

"Run!" Eddy suddenly screamed at Ed and Edd as he reached up with amazing speed and took hold of the gun that was still firmly gripped in Marie's hands.

"What the fuck?" Marie shouted as Eddy pushed the gun up in the air and tried to wrestle it out of her hands. The gun suddenly went off in the air, and a bullet tore through the roof of the trailer and went whizzing off into the dark sky.

"Help me, May!" Lee ordered as she and May rushed toward Eddy.

"Run!" Eddy screamed again as Lee and May grabbed a hold of him and tried to force him to the ground. Edd, who was still paralyzed with fear for a moment, suddenly felt feeling come back to his muscles. He lurched forward and then sprinted toward the struggle. Just as Lee and May wrenched Eddy away from Marie, freeing the gun from his grip, Edd tackled Marie, sending the two of them spiraling to the ground.

"Double D, I'm coming!" Eddy yelled as he attempted to pull himself away from Lee and May, who were trying to keep him pinned down.

"Get the fuck off of me, asshole!" Marie screamed as she and Edd rolled around on the floor and wrestled for control of the gun. Eddy tried to yank himself free of Lee and May, but they still wouldn't let go.

"Hold on, Double- augh!" Eddy yelped as he felt a sharp pain in the back of his leg, forcing him to the ground. He looked back and saw that Lee had plunged Kevin's knife into the back of his leg. "You bitch!" Eddy yelled before kicking Lee away, causing her to spiral backwards. May flung herself at Eddy as he tried to pull the knife out of his leg, causing them to fall backwards into a fistfight. Ed watched all this unfold in terror by the door of the trailer, unsure of what to do.

"Ed, help me, please!" Edd pleaded as Marie began to overpower him in their struggle, although Ed didn't respond at all, still frozen in fear. Marie climbed on top of Edd and pinned him down by his midsection. She then wrenched free the gun from Edd's hands and then pointed it down at his face, causing Edd to go bug-eyed at the sight of the dark hole at the end of the barrel inches from his face.

"No!" Eddy yelled as he quickly tore himself away from May and jumped at Marie.

"Shit!" Marie shrieked as Eddy crashed into her, sending the gun flying through the air. Marie landed on her back with Eddy on top of her. Eddy began to pound on her with his fists, and she tried her best to shield herself from his blows.

"You son of a bitch!" May cried as she and Lee, recovering from their injuries, rushed toward Eddy.

"Get away from him!" Edd yelled as he jumped toward Lee and May, trying to stop them from getting to Eddy. Ed's eyes were fixated on the fight as he stood shaking in fear, scared and feeling alone. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to help Edd and Eddy but didn't know how. He was too scared of the Kankers. All he could think about was them hurting him again. Of May touching him again. Of her hands on him again. Then he spotted it on the floor right in front of him: the thing that Marie had been holding that had scared his friends so much.

"Ugh!" Edd cried as he spiraled backwards, a punch from May sending him right into Eddy, knocking Eddy off of Marie. The two of them went tumbling away, landing in a heap beside Marie; Edd landed on top of Eddy, knocking the wind out of Eddy's already beaten body. Lee and May quickly helped Marie to her feet, although she was very dazed and confused, blood dripping from her nose and mouth from Eddy's flurry of blows. Edd, recovering first, rolled over off of Eddy and began shaking Eddy's battered body.

"My leg..." Eddy moaned faintly as Edd continued to shake him.

"Eddy, oh God, please get up, they're going to- oof!" Edd uttered as Lee stuck her foot on his back and pushed him down beside Eddy. She pressed her foot hard into his shoulder blade, causing him to hiss with pain. Eddy groaned as blood leaked from his mouth and onto the floor, his entire body aching with pain, especially his leg. He was far too injured from the fight to do anything, and now could only lay still and take what was coming. Marie and May stood on each side of Lee, prepared to beat the living hell out of Edd and Eddy.

Lee wiped some blood from her nose and then spit down on Edd's helpless form; she held Kevin's switchblade firmly in her quivering hand. "I hope you two liked your miserable little lives, shit heads, cause we're going to-" The hammer of the revolver suddenly struck the chamber, and the sound of gunshots filled the air. And then there was silence, save for the sounds of sirens growing louder and louder.

* * *

Kevin, Sarah, Jimmy, Jonny, Nazz, and Rolf all sat in a line on the sidewalk in front of Nazz's house awaiting some news of what had transpired. Kevin was looking down at the smooth pavement of the street. Sarah and Jimmy were holding hands with their arms wrapped around each other, Sarah quietly crying into Jimmy's shoulder. Jonny stared off into the distance. Rolf had his arm around Nazz's shoulder for comfort. Although her parents weren't home, they used Nazz's phone to call the police. Even the sound of the police sirens, however, couldn't comfort them. Over the sound of the sirens, they could've sworn they heard gunshots. After that, only more sirens. And more sirens. And more sirens. And now they waited. They waited for the sound of the siren's to end and for news of what had happened to come to them.

Perhaps the Kankers had been caught and the Eds saved? Or maybe the Kankers had gotten away but the Eds were still safe? However comforting those thoughts were, those weren't the types of possibilities that the kids were thinking. No, they all feared that the worst possible thing had occurred: that the Eds were dead. That the three kids they had treated so badly all their lives were now gone forever. And there would be no way to tell them how sorry they were. To tell them how they wanted to really be friends now. To tell them that life would be better now for the three of them.

Despite these thoughts, no one felt like talking. All they could do was sit out in the quiet darkness of the night, hoping and praying that that the Eds would be okay and their nightmarish fantasies averted.

"Oh my God!" Sarah suddenly cried before standing up and looking off into the middle of the cul-de-sac. Nazz, Rolf, Jonny, Jimmy, and Kevin all stood up along with her and stared off into the cul-de-sac as well. Three forms were slowly moving towards Eddy's house. The tallest one was carrying the littlest one in his arms, while the other one was walking beside them. Sarah and the others watched as the three of them moved onto Eddy's property and then headed around to the back of his house. The kids all stood there for a moment, letting what they saw sink in. "I've got to go see Ed!" Sarah cried as she tried to run forward. Kevin suddenly grabbed Sarah by her shoulder and stopped her, causing her to whirl around and face him, a mix of anger and sadness on her face. He stared at her with a thoughtful look his face. She stared back at him for a few moments, and then finally understood. The six of them then sat back down on the sidewalk and waited, although none of them could take their eyes off of the dark form of Eddy's house.

* * *

Ed gently laid Eddy's beaten and battered body down on his bed, Eddy's head rolling to the side as Ed let him go. Ed then backed up a little, his eyes still fixated on Eddy's body, and stood a few feet away from the bed. Edd suddenly joined him at his side, and the both of them then stood in silence as they watched Eddy's ragged form. They could see his chest moving up and down through his shirt, and they both sighed with relief. Edd, who was also battered pretty badly, suddenly had to hang on to Ed, the adrenaline from the fight wearing off. Ed wrapped his strong arm around Edd's shoulder to give him support. Ed looked down at his other hand, which was hanging loosely from his side, and saw the object that had ended the fight. Ed realized that it didn't only end the fight, however. It had ended everything. It had ended the source of the anguish for him and his friends. Those that would cause them pain were silenced, all thanks to the device. Ed, feeling as if the object had served its purpose, loosened his grip on the handle and let the thing fall to the floor, where it clattered for a moment and then sat still.

Edd looked at Eddy longingly. He hated what he had thought about Eddy back at the trailer. Eddy had admitted to something that Edd could have never imagined he was capable of. It made him almost hate Eddy. It made him almost blame him for everything that had happened that night. But as he stared at Eddy's body, he knew that he would never understand the choices Eddy made. He thought he knew Eddy so well; they had been friends since they were little kids. But he would never truly know why Eddy did the things he did. He would never truly know why Eddy had intercourse with the Kankers. He would never truly know why Eddy locked himself inside of his house. And he would never truly know why Eddy risked everything and grabbed a gun with a nervous, sweaty finger on the trigger that was inches from his face . But none of that mattered. Because he knew one thing: he knew that Eddy had saved his life. And that was what really mattered.

Ed and Edd suddenly snapped out of their thoughts when the object of their attention suddenly began to move. Ed and Edd watched closely and with great relief as Eddy's eyes slowly opened and stared up at the ceiling. And then Eddy looked at them. For a few seconds he looked up at Ed and Edd, as if he had awakened from a deep slumber. Then, with great effort, he began to sit up, bringing forth every fiber of strength he could muster from his body to do so. He finally came into a sitting position on his bed, and then the three Eds just stared at each other. They took this moment to think about everything that they had gone through that night with each other. They took this moment to think about how much each of them had sacrificed that night for each other. But, most of all, they took this moment to think about how it was all over now, in more ways than one. Eddy began to inch across his bed, wanting to stand with Ed and Edd. When Eddy reached the edge of the bed and tried to stand, he almost toppled over, but Ed and Edd caught him by the arms and stood him up next to them. The three of them, all standing together at last. All the suffering, all the heartache they had endured not just the past few weeks, but their wholes lives came rushing into their heads. But they all knew what every bad thing they had ever went through had in common: they were always there for each other.

The three of them began to move together slowly at first, but then, sensing the inevitable, grasped each other in a group hug. It all made sense to them now. They had tried so long to befriend everyone in the cul-de-sac. They had tried so long to fit in. They had tried so long to solve all their problems. They had tried so hard to get people like Kevin, Sarah, Jonny, and Jimmy to befriend them. They had tried so long to get Nazz to notice them and to like them. They had tried so long to understand and befriend Rolf. But they had wasted all that time trying when they should've seen the truth all along: they only had each other. Kevin would never be there to offer a quick escape on his bike. Sarah would never be there to help think of what to do that day for fun. Jimmy would never be there to hang out with them. Nazz would never be there to offer advice. Rolf would never be there to save their asses in a bad situation. Jonny would never be there with a funny joke or a moment that would live in their hearts forever. They had to rely on each other for all those things. They only had each other. No one else. Not Kevin, not Nazz, not Jimmy, not Jonny, not Rolf, not Sarah, and certainly not May, Marie, or Lee. It was just Ed, Edd, n' Eddy.

"I love you guys," Ed whispered as tears began to run down his face, falling on Edd's hat and Eddy's head, although neither of them minded.

"I... I love you too, Ed..." Edd answered back in a low tone as he began to cry silently. "You too, Eddy..." he added as he tightened his embrace of his two best friends.

"Ed... Double D..." Eddy began as he suddenly started to cry as well. "You guys are everything to me." Then they were quiet, the only sounds in the room the sounds each of them sobbing quietly. But each of them had smiles on their faces. Because now they knew that they only had each other and nothing could ever break them apart. The three of them remained in the middle of Eddy's room, locked in that embrace.

Even when the police kicked in Eddy's door.


	18. Epilogue

**Author's Note: **_I hope you all enjoyed this story. Now enjoy the epilogue._

_And thanks for your help, Neo H.B.B. Sam.  
_

* * *

Midday light streamed in through a window, illuminating an open suitcase that rested on top of a a bed. Toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, brushes, shampoo, conditioner, and a myriad of other items were neatly organized within. A fat duffel bag sat next to the suitcase, and it was stuffed to the brim with shirts, pants, underwear, and other items, a strong contrast to its neighbor. Someone suddenly grabbed the duffel bag and began to zip it up, although they found it more difficult than they imagined, having to tug and pull on the zipper violently to get it to close up. The person then reached over to the suitcase and quickly latched it shut, encasing the contents in a shallow darkness. The person began to sling the duffel bag over their shoulder, but then suddenly stopped. They dropped the duffel bag back onto the bed and then turned around. They walked over to a dresser, which was completely bare, save for a large oval mirror. The person then stopped in front of the mirror and stared at their reflection.

Her hair was a complete mess, strands of it poking out every which way, and her face seemed like it was pulled tight over her skull. She was tired. She had spent the whole morning packing; at first she had gone about it in an organized fashion, but after a while she just started shoving things in bags carelessly. She had never truly realized how many things she owned, even after throwing out most of her toys or giving them away. It was all a part of growing up, and she was finally at the scariest part of growing up so far: moving. She was finally leaving the place where she grew up and moving on with her life. It seemed almost unreal. She would be leaving behind all the familiar places she had seen and been to all her life. She would no longer be able to go down to the playground that she had spent years having fun in and take a ride on the swings, or be able to explore the junkyard and find strange things to play with or keep as a souvenir. But it wasn't all bad; after all, she would still have two people she knew to keep her company. She pulled her jean jacket around her tightly as she continued to stare at her reflection.

"You ready, Sarah?" someone asked from the doorway, causing her to snap out of her thoughts and look over at the doorway. Sarah gave a weak little smile when she spotted Jimmy in the doorway, leaning up against the door frame casually. He was wearing a pair of brown khaki pants and a a light blue polo shirt.

"Yeah... just gotta do a little something about my hair," Sarah answered before she pulled a scrunchie out of her pocket and pulled her hair back into a pony tail. She took one last look at herself before walking over to her bed where the suitcase and duffel bag still sat.

"Need any help?" Jimmy asked as he stepped out of the doorway and into her room.

"I've got it," she responded as he slung the duffel bag over her shoulder and then took hold of the handle on the briefcase. The two of them then exited the room, Sarah closing the door softly behind them, and made for the stairs.

"I thought your parents would be here to see us off," Jimmy commented as they descended the stairs.

"Don't worry, we went through the goodbyes yesterday," Sarah answered as they walked toward the front door. "But there was a lot of crying..." Jimmy smirked a little.

"We can always come down and see your parents whenever you want to..." Jimmy trailed off as he opened the door for her. "It'd be no trouble." The two of them stepped outside and began to walk toward Jimmy's compact car.

"I know... but I'll miss them..." Sarah said breathlessly as Jimmy opened up his trunk. "And I'll miss the neighborhood too." Jimmy watched her as she deposited her suitcase and duffel bag next to Jimmy's luggage. Jimmy shut the trunk and then looked at Sarah's tired face.

"I will too."

* * *

_Some say that one can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her purse. What the woman carries around with her everyday can tell one her habits, her likes, her beliefs, and a myriad of other things._

_But one could argue the same about a woman's funeral. The people who bother to show up, how hard they weep for the deceased, and the words spoken about that woman's life can tell one all they need to know about that woman and the life she led._

_Only four people showed up for their funerals. And only one truly cried. Because only one thought that she knew the deceased. Knew them so well. And now they were gone forever, taken from her by some boy she didn't even know. The other three had never been there. They barely knew the deceased. But they felt some unknown obligation to be there. Perhaps they really did care and wept on the inside. Or maybe they thought showing up would make up for never being there for their daughters._

"Hey, Sarah," Jimmy suddenly said, causing Sarah to look away from the passing buildings and over at him.

"Yeah?" Sarah asked as Jimmy watched the road carefully for road signs.

"We need gas, so I'm gonna stop at this station up here," Jimmy began as a gas station came into view. "Do you need anything?" Jimmy asked as he flashed her a quick look.

"I'm fine," Sarah answered as Jimmy nodded. They pulled into the gas station and Jimmy pulled up to a gas pump labeled "2". Sarah watched Jimmy shut off the car and then exit the vehicle, lightly closing the door behind him. Jimmy strolled across the parking lot and toward a squat building with a busted sign that read "Pump Smart" on it. Jimmy entered the building and heard the familiar jingle of a bell as he entered. He sighed as he gazed around at the shelves of snacks, magazines, and other assorted goods. He then spotted the counter and began to walk toward it.

"Hello?" Jimmy said as he peered over the counter and saw no one. Jimmy looked for some sort of bell or anything to ring for service, but he found none.

"Sorry about that, sir," a voice said from behind Jimmy as he turned around. "Jimmy?" the person said as the two faced each other. Jonny stood before Jimmy in his blue work shirt and worn khaki pants. Jimmy cracked a smile.

"Hey, Jonny," Jimmy said.

"So you're finally doing it, huh?" Jonny asked, skipping the introduction. He walked around the counter and went to the register.

"Yep," Jimmy answered as he retrieved his wallet from his pocket. Jimmy fished around in his wallet as Jonny watched him carefully. "I think thirty will do it," Jimmy finally said as he pulled a twenty and two fives out of his wallet. Jonny nodded and then took the cash. "I'd like a receipt as well," Jimmy added. Jonny rung up the thirty dollars and then gave Jimmy his receipt."Thanks, Jonny," Jimmy said as he turned away and began to walk out.

"Wait a sec," Jonny suddenly said, causing Jimmy to stop and face him. Jonny stared at Jimmy for a moment, who was looking at him inquisitively. "Tell Sarah I'm gonna miss you guys," Jonny said. Jimmy smiled and then nodded. "Oh, and tell her brother I said hi."

* * *

_"Murderers."_

_"Killers."_

_"Monsters."_

_These words were tossed around carelessly by those with superficial knowledge. But that's what always happens with situations like these. Three innocents gunned down in cold blood by their asshole boyfriends. For these observers, it seemed so cut and dry. No evidence needed. No court proceedings were necessary. No innocence before guilt. They were ready for punishment to be dolled out to these three lowlifes._

_Over all the vicious fighting, the kids tried their best to set the record straight. They put their own reputations on the line. Years of mistreatment rediscovered through trembling lips and nervous eyes. Vengeful plotting that came to fruition laid bare for everyone to see. And the deeds of the three "victims" revealed to gawking mouths and wide eyes. They fought tooth and nail to defend the accused. _

_In the end, it was a bittersweet victory. As much evidence as they had, a crime had been committed. And there would be justice.  
_

_One of them was set free because he was found mentally unfit. __He had the mind of a child and no apparent comprehension skills._ Could he have really known what was going on?  


_One of them was found guilty of fourth degree murder and sentenced to a meager eighteen months. It wasn't a lifetime of pain... or was it? A bright future filled with possibilities ruined because a system couldn't find it in its heart to let him go without scars._

_One of them took the blame for it all. He told everyone that he pulled the trigger. That he ended their lives. He should be the one to be punished. Just leave his friends alone. The kids couldn't defend him. His parents couldn't defend him. The lawyer couldn't defend him. He had admitted to the deed. But he knew the consequences of this admission. He knew the shit he was getting himself into. He didn't care. He also knew that because of this admission of guilt, he'd be joining the Kankers in hell in the near future._

"Well, here we are," Jimmy said as he stared up at the tall brick building that loomed overhead. Sarah and Jimmy stood outside of the car, which was parked carefully between a truck and a van on the side of the street. Sarah stood with her duffel bag hanging loosely from her shoulder and the suitcase dangling in her hand. Jimmy had a backpack on stuffed full of his belongings and a suitcase of his own in his hand. The sounds of the city buzzed lightly around them, although this particular street was relatively calm compared to the others through which Jimmy had to drive through. But they were here at last. The two of them stood there a bit longer to suck up the breezy Fall air, and then finally stepped toward the building.

The elevator was out of order, so they had no choice but to walk up the stairs; they were thankful that their destination was only on the third floor. They climbed the stairs carefully, taking each step slowly. Sarah was nervous beyond belief. She was happy, sure, but she couldn't help but feel some force telling her to go running back to Jimmy's car and curl up. She knew why she felt this way. She hadn't seen him in a very long time. It had literally been years. She had made sure to talk to him on the phone as much as possible, but to actually be in the same room as him?

Jimmy and Sarah finally reached the third floor and began to look for their destination. Room numbers floated by as they passed doorway after doorway. 304. 305. 306. 307. Finally the room they were looking for came into view: 308. This was it. Jimmy gave Sarah a encouraging smile as she sucked in a breath of air. Sarah studied the door for a while before finally gathering the courage to reach out and rap on it a few times. The two of them then stood there for a few moments as they waited for an answer. Sarah was sweating. She could feel it. Sarah almost jumped at the sound of the locks on the door being unlatched. The two of them watched as the door began to slowly open, light from within spilling out into the dimly lit hallway. As the door finally swung open all the way, Sarah finally saw the person on the other side.

"Hey, Ed."

* * *

_Moving on was probably the hardest part for everyone._

_For some, it would difficult but doable. This experience was scarring, but they made it out unscathed. Their families could rest easy knowing that no permanent damage had been done.  
_

_ For some, it would be an insurmountable task. After all, how does one move on from knowing that your son will forever have the scar of prison time upon him? _

_And for others, it would be impossible. Their loved ones were either staring down death or had already joined him. How can one move on from that?_

_But most moved on regardless. Even those who didn't want to move on, found that time forced them to. As much as the pain had burrowed deep within them, time slowly pulled the thorns out until the pain was nothing more than an afterthought. But almost everyone forced themselves to remember from time to time, no matter how dulled the pain was._

Several pictures graced the walls of the room, which was surprisingly roomy and very cozy. There were pictures of Sarah and Jimmy at the high school prom, which Sarah had insisted on sending as soon as possible. Jimmy looked very handsome in his tuxedo with his hair all done up. Sarah stood next to him, her arm locked with Jimmy's; she was wearing a white gown that shimmered in the light.

There was one of Nazz and Rolf in front of a produce store. It wasn't just any store, however: it was theirs. Rolf had his arm slung over Nazz's shoulder and the two were grinning widely. It had taken days for Nazz to finally convince Rolf to take a picture with her, but, when she finally did it, it was only a matter of time before she sent it to her friends.

There was also one of Kevin sitting on his bike outside of a liquor store. He had a black jacket and tight leather pants on, and he had a little smile on his face. An odd picture to give someone, but it didn't matter; the thought counted more than anything.

There was also a picture of someone that no one recognized at first, although they soon learned that it had come from Eddy's Brother. He was standing outside of a strange whale-shaped trailer and had a pair of white shades on. He was wearing a brown hat, a red plaid jacket, and a basketball jersey. He didn't look very happy. On the back of the photo, there was a single word: "Sorry". No one knew what it meant.

A strange object sat on the floor underneath these pictures: an old wooden board. It had a worn face on it that grinned with devious delight. Jonny had found it a few years after losing it, and, finding that he couldn't stand to keep it anymore, gave it away as a token of remembrance.

Finally, there was a large picture that sat in the middle of all these sweet memories of years gone by. Three boys all stood side by side next to a tan wall, each of them grinning in delight. Party hats adorned their heads, save for the tallest who was wearing his over his mouth. At the bottom of the photo it read "Eddy's Thirteenth Birthday". Sarah's stare lingered on this photo for a few minutes, memories welling up inside of her. She wished she could go back and make things different. Especially this memory in particular. She wished she could've been at the party. She didn't want to go at the time. She didn't want anything to do with Eddy, who had begrudgingly invited her, and instead spent her entire day at her house watching television. Such a waste of time. She should've spent those precious few moments that she had with her brother and his two friends. Looking at the photo, she could tell she had missed out. They looked like they had had the party of a lifetime.

But she knew that hindsight was twenty-twenty. She would've never guessed that, only a few years later, things would change more than she could've ever imagined. And she would no longer be able to share in the memories that the three Eds were making together. Sarah suddenly snapped out her thoughts when she heard someone enter the room. She gave a little grin when she spotted Ed, who had two cups of hot chocolate in his hands. He handed one to her and then joined her at her side. "Thank you," Sarah said as she took a sip of the hot chocolate.

"No problem," Ed answered quietly as he looked down at her and smiled.

"Thanks again for letting Jimmy and I stay with you," Sarah said as she looked up at Ed, who was now taking a little sip of his hot chocolate. She took a moment to examine at her brother. It had been years since she had seen him, and he had changed slightly. He was wearing a stained black t-shirt with some band name that she didn't recognize on it, and he had a faded pair of jeans on. He was still a pretty messy person, although he had made sure to keep his filth limited to his own bedroom and kept the rest of his apartment relatively clean. He had even gotten a job as a graphic designer, and a few of his drawings were pinned up on the walls in various places. The two of them were then quiet for a couple minutes, each of them taking little sips of their hot chocolate every few moments.

"Where's Jimmy?" Ed suddenly asked as he sat his hot chocolate down on a nearby coffee table.

"He went down to get some more things out of the car," Sarah answered as she sat down her hot chocolate, which she had finished. "How's Double D doing?" Sarah asked as she looked over at Ed. Ed hesitated a few moments before finally answering.

"He's fine..." Ed began. "I saw him a few days ago at the grocery store. I told him about how you and Jimmy were coming to stay with me for a while, and he said he'd like to come and see you guys some time," Ed explained as Sarah smiled warmly.

"That's good to hear... I haven't seen him in a while," Sarah answered. Sarah suddenly noticed that Ed was looking at her strangely. "What is it?" Sarah asked as Ed continued to stare at her. For some reason, Sarah's mentioning of Edd began to make Ed feel strange. Something was trying to worm its way into his head. Words suddenly flooded into Ed's head from the past: _Ed, one day, in the near future, Sarah will realize how much you matter to her and she will tell you. Just give her time_. Ed bit his lip as Sarah continued to give him a confused look. "Ed, wh-"

"I love you, Sarah," Ed finally said as he stared longingly down at his no-longer-baby sister, who's mouth hung open, still stuck mid-sentence. Sarah stood there for a moment, taken aback by Ed's words. Her lips then closed and curled into a sad little smile.

"I love you too, Ed," Sarah said happily as she stepped toward him. Hugging one another tightly, each of them enjoying the warmth of the embrace, their eyes squeezed shut. Jimmy watched quietly from the doorway, not wanting to interrupt the moment; he had a sad little smile on his face. Ed relished the warm, loving embrace of his sister. _You guys are everything to me_. Tears formed in Ed's eyes; he tightened his grip on his sister as the noises of the city faded into the background, save for the distant sound of sirens speeding off to some unknown tragedy.


End file.
